NIL has nothing to do with Charles Barkley.
The “Inside the NBA” analyst stated that he would not donate money to his college team, the Auburn Tigers, since he is so opposed to name, image, and likeness. Additionally, he would stop at nothing to support his beloved team.
When Barkley appeared on “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich” on OutKick.com, he declared, “Hey, I love Auburn, I do.”
“Within reason, I would do anything for Auburn. However, I won’t give Auburn millions of dollars so that we can excel in basketball or football. My life isn’t made any easier by it. Black and broke doesn’t work in any state, let me tell you that. all 50 states, Guam, and the District of Columbia. I’d never want to be black and impoverished. That does not work.”
From a man who still gives in other ways, that is quite a statement.
“That stuff is way more important to me,” Barkley stated, adding that he just donated $10 million to HBCUs. In order to demolish and rehabilitate old homes in my hometown of Birmingham, I just donated a few million dollars to “Blight.” I value those things far more than being involved in the shithole that is collegiate athletics. Dan, we’re such a sh–ty nation. College athletics have been wrecked by us, and I don’t want to even enter that quagmire.
“The idea that you need to raise tens of millions of dollars to pay kids to play basketball, then let them be free agents each year so they can transfer to another school and earn more money each year.” The NBA doesn’t even allow us to do that. What if NBA players were allowed to be free agents each year?
“I have nothing against athletes being compensated. I want to be clear about it. However, basketball is the worst since you only get a fantastic player for six months, despite the fact that we have to pay college students tens of millions of dollars annually. I fail to see how you will receive a return on your investment.
The NCAA is a “bunch of fools and idiots,” according to Barkley.
