Bo Jackson Hilariously Shuts Down Charles Barkley’s ‘Greatest Auburn Athlete’ Claim

Bo Jackson let Charles Barkley have the title of 'Greatest Auburn Athlete'.

Bo Jackson Hilariously Shuts Down Charles Barkley’s ‘Greatest Auburn Athlete’ Claim

Bo Jackson on Charles Barkley (Image credits - Firstsportz)

In Short
  • Bo Jackson humorously dismissed Charles Barkley's claim of being the greatest Auburn athlete.
  • Jackson is the only athlete to be named an All-Star in both the NFL and MLB.
  • The debate over Auburn's greatest athlete remains contentious among fans and analysts.

There have been several top athletes to come out of Auburn University over the years, but the two athletes that spring to mind are Bo Jackson and Charles Barkley. The two athletes have gone on to achieve loads of success and accolades in their respective sports.

Jabari Smith Jr. was drafted by the Houston Rockets at number three in the 2022 NBA draft and became the highest drafted player to ever come out of Auburn. But there is still a long way to go before he can be mentioned in the same sentence as Bo Jackson and Charles Barkley.

Athletes like Bo Jackson are a rarity. It is one thing to go professional in a sport, but to go pro in two different sports takes something special. And that is what Jackson did. He is the only professional athlete in history to have been named an All-Star in two major American sports – the NFL and the MLB. His achievements in multiple sports have given him a reputation as one of the greatest athletes of all time.

Meanwhile, Barkley played for three different clubs in his NBA career. He was an 11-time NBA All-Star and won the league MVP in 1993. While he never won a championship, he did make it to the NBA Finals in 1993. Following his retirement, he turned into an analyst and is well known for his trolling and for his unfiltered opinions on the Inside the NBA show. Recently, Barkley was in the headlines for criticizing ESPN over scheduling issues.

Jackson made an appearance on The Big Podcast with Shaquille O’Neal, who is also the co-panelist with Barkley on Inside the NBA. O’Neal asked Jackson if he had anything to say to Barkley, calling himself the greatest athlete in Auburn history. Jackson responded:

We let Chuck have that title just to shut him the hell up. So I call him number one and I let him call me number two. And I’m fine with that because once you do that, you ain’t gotta hear him no more.

It looked like Jackson agreed with Barkley’s statement just to not get into a debate with him. It is a topic that may not need much debating, considering Jackson’s achievements in two different sports.

The internet had its say on ‘Greatest Auburn athlete’ between Bo Jackson and Charles Barkley

While there is no correct answer to this question, it is worth debating. Jackson became an All-Star in the NFL and MLB, but Barkley went on to become an MVP in the NBA. Neither of them went on to claim the ultimate prize in their sports, but that takes nothing away from their credentials.

After Jackson’s response, fans did not waste any time and took to the internet to weigh in on the debate on social media.

The internet was mixed between the two Auburn alumni. But it will be interesting to see if Chuck responds to Jackson’s statements in the future.

Kevin Johnson feels Charles Barkley deserved a championship

Barkley spent some of the best years of his playing career with the Phoenix Suns. During his time in Phoenix, Barkley formed a dynamic duo with Kevin Johnson. The two also had a good relationship on and off the court.

Chuck was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers as the number five pick in the 1984 NBA draft. After spending eight seasons with the 76ers, Barkley was traded to the Suns. The trade worked out well for the club and the player. In his four-year spell with the Suns, Barkley won the league MVP and took them to the NBA Finals in his first season. However, they lost to Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls in six games.

Johnson spoke about Barkley’s greatness and his regret of not winning a championship with the Chuckster on the Club 520 podcast.

Kevin Johnson and Charles Barkley with the Phoenix Suns
Kevin Johnson and Charles Barkley with the Phoenix Suns (Image credits – Basquet Plus)

Man, I hate watching him on TNT and now on ESPN with Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal, and they get on him for not winning a championship. That one hurts. That brother deserved an NBA championship. He belongs in that group of elite players who won rings. And the fact that he doesn’t have one pisses me off every time I see him on TV.

Barkley had a successful career and amassed an impressive collection of individual awards, placing him among the game’s greats. But with no championship to his name, he is never mentioned in the conversation of all-time greats.

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