Charles Barkley gives terse message to NBA players complaining about 65-game eligibility rule

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Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley ripped NBA players on Sunday night over player complaints about the 65-game eligibility rule to be considered for awards and honors.

The NBA requires players to play at least 65 games in order to be considered for the league’s highest accolades. The rule became a source of consternation this year in a hotly contested MVP race as some players, who have been playing at a high level, have missed out on consideration.

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Former Phoenix Suns player Charles Barkley sits courtside during an NBA Cup game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., on Nov. 21, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

But Barkley had no time for players’ complaints.

"I don’t think 65 games is a lot to ask," he said. "Man, shut the hell up. Y’all voted on that in the collective bargaining, now y’all want to complain. If y’all wasn’t sitting on your a-- half the time, sipping margaritas and stuff, they wouldn’t have put the 65-game threshold in there. Shut the hell up."

San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama and Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic each came down to the wire when it came to eligibility.

Wembanyama played 64 regular-season games with the NBA Cup Final counting toward his total. Jokic hit the 65-game minimum after playing 18 minutes against the Spurs on Sunday. Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is also in contention, having played 68 games.

Former Phoenix Suns player Charles Barkley attends an NBA Cup game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., on Nov. 21, 2025. (Mark J.