Nate Oats let Charles Barkley have it over Auburn upset
Oct 19, 2022; Birmingham, Alabama, US; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats during the SEC Basketball Media Days at Grand Bohemian Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Charles Barkley had to watch his Auburn Tigers get knocked out of the NCAA Tournament in the first round on Friday. Then he had to sit and get roasted by the head coach of Auburn’s biggest rival.
CBS aired a commercial that included Alabama coach Nate Oats, who went out of his way to taunt Barkley over what happened to Auburn.
“It’s March Madness, of course Barkley’s bracket is busted he’s from Auburn” pic.twitter.com/iZVEMy9eKr
— Blake Byler (@blakebyler45) March 23, 2024
“It’s March Madness. Of course Barkley’s bracket is busted. He’s from Auburn,” Oats said.
Barkley got a good laugh out of the comment, then said he would hold his fire until Alabama is eliminated.
Charles Barkley: “Nate Oats is a great coach and Alabama is a great school. I won’t say anything until Alabama loses.”
— Christian Sykes (@ctsykes13) March 23, 2024
Oats was able to get the burn in as his team beat Charleston on Friday to advance to the second round. Auburn had fallen to 13-seed Yale hours before that.
Barkley has been very complimentary of Oats and the Crimson Tide in the past — so much so that he got burned by it. If Alabama manages a deep tournament run, combined with Auburn’s early exit, he will never hear the end of it.