During the 2025 NBA All-Star Game, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered a hilarious yet pointed remark to Inside the NBA analyst Charles Barkley regarding the difficulty of guarding today’s top players.
Antetokounmpo turned to Barkley and referenced San Antonio Spurs standout Victor Wembanyama.
“Back in the day, you couldn’t guard him. You could not guard him,” Antetokounmpo said.
He then doubled down on his statement, making it clear that Barkley never had to deal with the kind of generational talents that dominate the modern NBA.
Giannis telling Chuck he ignores what he says on TV because he never had to guard Wemby or Jokic
pic.twitter.com/Zy1M9MFhiT
— Kris Pursiainen (@krispursiainen) February 18, 2025
“So anything you say on TV, that does not matter. You never faced something like this,” Antetokounmpo continued.
The Bucks forward then gestured toward Wembanyama and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic.
“I got to face him,” Antetokounmpo said, pointing at Wembanyama before turning to Jokic. “I got to face him. This is what I got to deal with.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s playful jab at Charles Barkley highlight’s NBA’s evolving landscape
The exchange underscored the growing challenge Antetokounmpo faces in an NBA stacked with elite talent. Despite being a two-time MVP and two-time Defensive Player of the Year, he continues to battle against the league’s top stars.
Wembanyama, now in his second season, has solidified himself as one of the most dominant two-way players in the NBA. The 7-foot-4 phenom is averaging 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.8 blocks, 3.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 47.6% from the field and 35.2% from beyond the arc. After finishing as the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year in his rookie season, he has continued to anchor San Antonio’s defense while expanding his offensive game.
Meanwhile, Jokic, in pursuit of a fourth MVP award, is averaging a triple-double with 29.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 10.2 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He is doing so with remarkable efficiency, shooting 57.7% from the field and 45% from deep.
Barkley, who played in an era without players of Wembanyama’s unique skill set, took the exchange in stride. However, Antetokounmpo’s comments provided a humorous yet stark reminder of how much the game has evolved.
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