Charles Barkley Rips Paul George for Using Mental Health as Excuse for Drug Violation

Charles Barkley had some doubts after Paul George cited mental health issues in his statement after being suspended.

Charles Barkley Rips Paul George for Using Mental Health as Excuse for Drug Violation

Charles Barkley talks about Paul George (Image credits - Firstsportz)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

Philadelphia 76ers were dealt with a major blow after Paul George was recently suspended for 25 games by the NBA for violating the league’s Anti-Doping Program. The news was a huge surprise to the NBA world. The 76ers took to court on Saturday night after the announcement and recorded a 124-114 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.

With the “Big Three” of the 76ers finding their form and chemistry halfway into the 2025-26 campaign, a suspension to a player of Paul George‘s caliber was least expected. The win on Saturday extended their winning streak to three games. With that, they improved their record to 27-21 as they sit at sixth and remain in strong contention for a direct playoff qualification in the Eastern Conference.

George has battled through injuries since his move to the 76ers and was coming off a knee surgery during the offseason. Being the number three option behind Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, ‘PG’ has gone through some ups and downs this season, especially on the offensive end. Prior to the suspension, the forward was averaging 16 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 27 appearances.

NBA insider Shams Charania broke the news on Saturday. George issued a statement citing improper medication for a “mental health-related issue” as the cause of his suspension. Mental health is a serious issue and needs to be taken seriously. Moreover, George took full responsibility for his actions and apologized to his teammates and fans, but his statements did raise a few eyebrows.

Former NBA player and Inside the NBA panelist Charles Barkley was recently in the headlines for his criticism of ESPN over scheduling issues. Barkley is well known for not shying away from speaking his mind and appeared skeptical about George’s claim on the show.

There’s something fishy going on here. I don’t joke around about mental health, but if you’re taking something for mental health that’s got to be out of line for the NBA, like, that doesn’t make sense to me. If you are taking a drug for mental health, you should get a hall pass.

Charles Barkley via Inside the NBA

The crew had some serious doubts about the circumstances made public because based on George’s statements, it was not a performance enhancement drug. Barkley could not understand why the NBA would take such harsh action if it involved mental health, effectively hinting that something else was at play.

Nick Nurse speaks on the Paul George suspension

Losing a player of PG’s calibre is a tough moment for the franchise. It is never a pleasing sight to see a star player being suspended for violating the rules of the league, especially when it comes to drugs. While there may be more to what happened, it remains to be seen if further details emerge in the coming days.

Nick Nurse and Paul George
Nick Nurse and Paul George (Image credits – The Philadelphia Inquirer)

76ers head coach Nick Nurse spoke about how he and the franchise were standing with the 35-year-old during this difficult period.

He’s still a part of the team. He can’t play in the games, but he’s still allowed at the facility and practice and all that stuff. We need to make sure those things continue to happen and get him back. We’re here to help him, the organization is, in any way possible, and try to get past it as soon as we can, but get through it the best way we can and then go from there.

Nick Nurse told the media

With George suspended for 25 games, he is expected to return to court against the Chicago Bulls on March 25. He should be back in time for the final stretch of the regular season and the playoffs.

Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid to carry the torch after Paul George got suspended

When at full strength, the 76ers will fancy their chances in the postseason in a wide open Eastern Conference. As George serves his suspension, it will be up to former MVP Embiid and Maxey to carry the extra burden.

With Embiid finding his rhythm and coming off a 40-point game on Saturday, and Maxey playing at an MVP level this season, they do have what it takes to carry the workload as they continue to fight for a playoff berth.

However, they are just an Embiid or a Maxey injury away from it all being taken away. Hence, they will hope that their promising rookie VJ Edgecombe, role players such as Kelly Oubre Jr. and Dominick Barlow step up and play a bigger role till George’s return. It remains to be seen if the team has enough to stay in a playoff position.

Also Read: