Charles Barkley Enjoys Auburn Ripping Alabama's 'Little Skinny Dudes' In Basketball
Charles Barkley knows basketball, and he knows how to play big.
While at Auburn from 1981-84, he negotiated basketball courts around the Southeastern Conference at around 300 pounds on a 6-foot-6 frame. He became known as the "Round Mound of Rebound."
So he took particular delight in his lama mater beefing it up against No. 16 Alabama Wednesday night in a 99-81 victory in front of a sold-out Neville Arena crowd of 9,121. He sat in with the ESPN2 crew broadcasting the game during the second half after his Tigers rolled to a 55-41 halftime lead and continued to have their way with the Tide.
NBA great Charles Barkley in his Auburn non-salad days when he routinely played at about 300 pounds. (Getty Images)
"Alabama's got all these little skinny dudes out there," Barkley said in his patented tell-it-like-it-is fashion. "When I was looking at the game early, I said, ‘Man, this would be like for me, if I saw all these little skinny dudes, this will be like barbecue chicken.'"
And that is virtually exactly what happened as No. 12 Auburn feasted on Alabama inside with twice as many second-chance buckets (24-12), a 40-26 advantage in the paint, 12 blocked shots to five and 42 rebounds to 35. Yep, finger-licking good.
Auburn Played Just As Charles Barkley Predicted Against Alabama
Auburn (19-4, 8-2 SEC) moved into a three-way tie for first in the SEC with South Carolina (20-3, 8-2) and Alabama (16-7, 8-2).
Auburn hefty junior forward Johni Broome (6-10, 240 pounds) dominated inside as Barkley predicted. He scored 24 points with seven rebounds and blocked five shots.
"Coach (Nate) Oats does a fantastic job," Barkley said of Alabama's coach. "But I said (before the game), ‘Broome should have a big night because Alabama's guards are terrific, but they have no size inside.'"
Auburn beefy senior forward Jaylin Williams (6-8, 245) scored 26 points with six rebounds and two blocked shots. Even sophomore guard Tre Donaldson (6-3, 200) grabbed six boards and scored 14 points.
Alabama coach Nate Oats had no answer for Auburn's size in a 99-81 loss at Auburn on Wednesday night. (Getty Images)
Oats started a smaller, four-guard offense. The Tide has a 6-6 player like Barkley in sophomore guard Rylan Griffen, but he weighs only 190 pounds. He managed just two rebounds while scoring 14 points. Senior guard Latrell Wrightsell, Jr. (6-3, 190) scored eight points with four rebounds. Slim senior guard Aaron Estrada (6-3, 190) scored 10 points with two rebounds. Freshman forward Jarin Stevenson (6-11, 210) scored three points with one rebound in 20 minutes off the bench.
Oates has long known what Barkley pointed out.
"We've had issues with front-court guys all year to be honest with you," Oats said after the game. "We tried to double at times - gave up threes. It's an issue. We have to be better inside."
Alabama's Size Problem Likely To Revisit The Tide
Or put on weight.
"They may have the best front court in the league," Oats said. "We started small. They punished us. Some of it's effort. We did go with a bigger lineup (later). But even some of our big guys got posted up and scored on. We went bigger at times in the game. Didn't do much."
Barkley was not just singing Auburn's praises, though.
He also told the ESPN2 audience that retired Alabama football coach Nick Saban "is the greatest college football coach ever." Saban just joined ESPN's GameDay crew.
And Barkley made another comment that will not sit well with the Auburn Nation and Hugh Freeze, who went 6-7 and 3-5 in his first season as Auburn's football coach in 2023.
"I'm probably going to get in trouble for saying this," Barkley said. "We are like the stepchild. We aren't ever going to be Alabama."
Charles Barkley may also know football.