Charles Barkley Doesn't Think Vegas' Jack Eichel Had Any Idea Who He Is

If what Charles Barkley says is true, then Vegas Golfen Knights star Jack Eichel isn't much of a basketball fan.

Barkley, however, is a massive hockey fan, and he ran into Eichel as the Golden Knights were staying at the same hotel as the TNT basketball analyst.

So, Chuck decided to say hi to Eichel ahead of Saturday night's Game 4 and told Canada's Sportsnet that he doesn't think Eichel has any idea who he is.

"So yesterday I was at the hotel. I walked up to Jack Eichel and said how great he was," Barkley said. "I think he had zero idea who I was."

That's kind of nuts. Even for people who aren't major basketball fans, Barkley is still a well-known pop culture figure. At least, I thought he was.

Now Jack Eichel has me rethinking that (just as Barkley was probably rethinking his own pop cultural status).

"I said, 'Hey, Mr. Eichel, it's an honor, you're a great player,' but he looked at me like, 'Who the hell are you?'" he said. "It was pretty funny."

I would have paid a lot of money to be in the vicinity when one of Eichel's teammates explained to him that a bonafide NBA legend had just complimented his game.

Despite not recognizing a major athlete, Saturday was a pretty cool night for Eichel and his teammates.

Vegas won Game 4 3-2 and now leads the series 3-1 as it shifts back to Las Vegas. The Golden Knights will be able to clinch their first Stanley Cup in franchise history on Tuesday night.

Follow on Twitter: @Matt_Reigle