Charles Barkley: 20% of NBA fans need to be shot

Charles Barkley is loved by many because he tells it like it is and doesn’t sugarcoat things. Some people, though, don’t like hearing the truth if the truth is something negative about their favorite basketball team or player. Barkley knows that, and that’s why he told Jim Rome Wednesday that some fans need to be shot.

“Fans man. They love their team and their player. They don’t want to hear any criticisms. They just want you to be 100 percent for their team period,” Barkley said on The Jim Rome Show. “I think it’s only a small faction. I think 80 percent are great. 20 percent, I wish you could take them out back and just shoot them.”

According to Eye on Basketball, Rome jumped in said, “Well, maybe not shoot them, Chuck.”

But Barkley did not back down.

“No, I meant that Jim,” he said. “80 percent of the fans are fantastic. But 20 percent of them are so mean-spirited and say the most nasty things to you, because they know you can’t grab them.”

This is not the first time Barkley has used the “they need to be shot” line on the radio, but last time it was probably slightly better received.

Barkley has gotten into it with plenty of fan bases in the past. He was heckled all last year by Heat fans for calling the team a “whiny bunch.” He’s gotten into it with Warriors fans too. His point is well taken, but I think exterminating people because they’re too passionate is a just a tad bit too harsh.