News / People
Charles Barkley Not Bothered by Gay Players in NBA
TV Analyst and Former NBA Player Chimes In
Without naming anyone in particular, Barkley said during a recent radio interview that he is sure he played with at least some gay players during his career.
"I didn't think it ... they were gay," said Barkley.
Barkley went on to assert that every player in the NBA has played with homosexual players.
"First of all, every player has played with gay guys," said Barkley, calling any player who says he hasn't "a stone-freakin' idiot."
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Barkley is further bothered by the fact that many people assume NBA players would not be comfortable sharing a locker room with a gay player.
"It bothers me when I hear these reporters and jocks get on TV and say: 'Oh, no guy can come out in a team sport. These guys would go crazy.' First of all, quit telling me what I think. I'd rather have a gay guy who can play than a straight guy who can't play," said Barkley.
He added, "A guy is never going to put himself in that situation in a professional locker room. It never crossed my mind, and I never felt any different about the guy."
Barkley's comments come just days after Phoneix Suns executive Rick Welts and former Villanova player Will Sheridan came out of the closet.
A former Suns player, Barkley said that he wishes Welt the best following his decision to come out.
"First of all, society discriminates against gay people," said Barkley. "They always try to make it like jocks discriminate against gay people. I've been a big proponent of gay marriage for a long time, because as a black person, I can't be in for any form of discrimination at all."
(Sources: ESPN.com)
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