After sixty years of ink-free skin and three decades of critiquing other people’s life choices on national television, Charles Barkley has finally decided to get a tattoo. And in true Barkley fashion, he’s approaching this milestone with the same unfiltered honesty and selective sentimentality that made him famous.
During the NBA Finals pregame show, the Hall of Famer casually dropped that’s he’s finally getting inked. Not some generic basketball design, not a tribute to his playing days—just his grandkids’ names. A sweet gesture, right? Until co-host Candace Parker, in her infinite wisdom, asked the obvious: “What about your daughter?”
Charles Barkley didn’t even blink. “No, no, no, just the grandkids.” No explanation, no softening the blow. Just a hard cutoff, like a defender swatting a layup into the third row.
Chuck: “I’ve never had a tattoo… I’m honestly gonna do it this summer. I’m gonna get my grandson & granddaughter’s name… these fools be getting women names put on ’em & they break up with ’em like damn idiots.”
Candace: “What about your daughter?”
Chuck: “No, no, no.” pic.twitter.com/0mM2KyForm
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 14, 2025
What makes this even funnier is the timing. Oklahoma fans are lining up for free playoff tattoos at shops like Loud City Ink, with some getting their first ever NBA-themed ink. Meanwhile, the $20 million-a-year analyst is showing restraint where others aren’t. Studies show 16–44% of people regret name tattoos—usually from failed relationships. So when Barkley jokes about “fools” tattooing partners’ names only to break up, he’s not just being funny. He’s also giving surprisingly solid life advice.
For a man built on unfiltered opinions, this might be Barkley’s most on-brand move yet: permanent ink for his grandkids, a firm pass on his daughter, and another golden TV moment. Some family traditions are sweeter than others—and some, clearly, are more tattoo-worthy.
Of course, Barkley’s no-holds-barred commentary doesn’t stop with family. He brings the same unfiltered honesty to his basketball takes. The Hall of Famer turned his sharp tongue on the Indiana Pacers’ Game 4 collapse, delivering a critique as permanent as the ink he’s about to get.
Charles Barkley Blasts Pacers Late-Game Meltdown: ‘They Gift-Wrapped This One’
Charles Barkley has never needed a microphone to make his opinions heard. But his latest NBA Finals commentary might be his most brutally honest yet. After watching the Indiana Pacers fumble a winnable Game 4, the Hall of Famer didn’t just criticize their performance—he basically wrote their obituary.
“First of all, they gave it away,” Barkley said on NBA TV. “I have no idea what the Pacers were doing on the offensive end. Me and Grant (Hill) were going crazy like, ‘Yo man, get it to (Pascal) Siakam, he’s your best 1-on-1 player.’ They didn’t even run a play for him… It was so frustrating.”
His exasperation peaked as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 of OKC’s final 16 points while Indiana’s offense collapsed. “We can discuss Oklahoma City all we want, but the Pacers really lost this game,” he added, delivering his verdict with trademark bluntness.
The timing made the collapse worse. Indiana had a golden chance to take a 3–1 series lead on their home floor. Instead, they’ll head back to Oklahoma City with all the momentum gone. This wasn’t just a loss—it was the kind that lingers in the locker room and haunts the offseason.
The breakdown proved an eternal NBA truth Barkley knows too well: playoff basketball separates All-Stars from closers. Gilgeous-Alexander put on a late-game masterclass. Indiana’s top guys disappeared when it mattered. For a franchise chasing its first title, these are the moments that define legacies—or, in Indiana’s case, become “what ifs” that keep coaches awake at night
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