During an NBA opening night interview on TNT, Charles Barkley confronts Adam Silver NBA commissioner on the spot. As the broadcast was about to conclude the interview with Silver and transition to a commercial break, Barkley seized the moment to pose one final question.
Barkley wanted Silver to address the league’s actions in response to recent domestic violence cases involving NBA players.
Charles Barkley Confronts Adam Silver
“They said go to commercial, but I’ve got a serious question for you,” Barkley initiated. “There are a couple of concerning instances of domestic violence in the NBA right now. What measures are we taking to tackle this? You can’t lay your hands on women, and we should set the standard in sports when it comes to men assaulting women.”
The question, reported by The Athletic as unscripted, appeared to catch Silver off guard, and the commissioner stumbled momentarily before addressing the pointed inquiry.
Charles Barkley confronts NBA commissioner Adam Silver after numerous offseason incidents of domestic violence among NBA athletes: pic.twitter.com/u0LjxLiLRd
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 24, 2023
“That’s an area where we’re not seeking to compete with other leagues when you mention setting the standard,” Silver replied. “I believe all leagues are working to confront this issue. However, our players’ association deserves credit for this. It wasn’t an adversarial process. We’ve established a new program to handle allegations of domestic violence, even before they result in prosecution. Part of it focuses on training our players.
“Counseling for our players is crucial to ensuring they understand that resorting to violence against anyone is never acceptable, particularly during high-stress situations. We’re actively addressing this. We’ve engaged state-of-the-art counseling professionals to assist our players. But of course, if a player does cross the line, the repercussions are severe.”
Barkley’s line of questioning comes amidst a series of high-profile cases involving NBA players.
Hornets forward Miles Bridges turned himself into authorities earlier in October due to an arrest warrant issued in January related to a 2022 domestic violence case involving a protection order violation. The Mecklenburg County (NC) Sheriff’s Office issued a criminal summons, alleging that Bridges threw pool table balls at his ex-girlfriend’s vehicle during a custody exchange. Bridges pleaded no contest to felony domestic violence charges in November concerning his ex. He received a 30-game suspension from the NBA, with 20 games credited as time-served or missed during the previous season.
Kevin Porter Jr. is also embroiled in a legal dispute over an alleged domestic violence incident at the Millennium Hilton New York Hotel with ex-girlfriend and former WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick. Porter, now a free agent after being traded by the Hornets and subsequently waived by the Thunder, faces charges of second-degree strangulation and third-degree assault stemming from the altercation. He has yet to face NBA disciplinary action and is due back in court on November 27.
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