WHY I RESPECT CHARLES BARKLEY! SPEAKS ON GAYS IN THE NBA

Professional basketball legend Charles Barkley is known for his off the wall remarks and hilarious half-time reporting, but it was his recent interview with sports reporter Mike Wise that got people’s attention, as he discussed gay players in the NBA.

Recently Rick Welts, CEO of the Phoenix Suns, Charles’ former basketball team, came out as being gay, which once again put the spotlight on the topic of homosexuality in the NBA. When asked whether this new revelation would aid in making other NBA players more comfortable with making their sexual orientation public, Charles claimed that he’s played with many gay players in the past and doesn’t see what the big deal is about. He said that there were gay players on two out of the three teams he’s played with in his career:

“I really like ESPN. They do a great job. But like once every two or three months, they bring all these people on there, and they tell me how me and my team are going to respond to a gay guy.
“First of all, every player has played with gay guys. 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.”

He also spoke on if he had a fear of showering or being in the locker room with a gay teammate, saying:

“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.”
“They’re not going to do anything in the locker room. Doesn’t work like that.”
“Any professional athlete who gets on TV or radio and says he never played with a gay guy is a stone-freakin’ idiot. I would even say the same thing in college. Every college player, every pro player in any sport has probably played with a gay person.”
“First of all, society discriminates against gay people. 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.”
“We gossiped behind each other’s back before; I’ll be the first to admit that. The first people who whine and complain is them Bible-thumpers, who are supposed to be non-judgmental, who rail against them.[...] I don’t worry about what other people do.”

great points Mr. Charles!