The NBA faced a major decision.
It involved the league’s biggest star.
And Charles Barkley revealed the NBA made this choice about suspending LeBron James.
TNT NBA analyst Charles Barkley told interviewer LaJethro Jenkins that the NBA would not put LeBron James in a mandatory 14-day quarantine for violating the league’s health and safety protocols.
“The NBA ain’t got the balls to suspend Lebron James. Zero,” Barkley declared.
James broke the NBA’s health and safety protocols when he attended an event promoting the Lobos 1707 Tequila company.
According to league policy, James should have been in quarantine for 14 days, which would have forced him to miss the Lakers first round western conference playoff series against the second seed Phoenix Suns.
“The NBA, they ain’t got no chance of suspending Lebron James. If it was a nobody, they would put him in health and safety protocols,” Barkley added. “Ain’t no $%^&ing way LeBron James is going to be sitting out because of health and safety protocols.”
“Lebron James is playing Sunday. Guaaaaranteeed,” Barkley emphasized.
James did play in Game One on Sunday, but it did not matter in the final outcome.
The Suns took the series opener 99 to 90 behind 34 points from emerging star guard Devin Booker.
For his part, James played a mediocre game scoring 18 points and only taking 13 shots.
Since the 1980s, the NBA has existed as a superstar driven league.
Star players always get the benefit of the refs’ whistle and fans often complain when their team loses that the officiating was biased in favor of certain megastars.
That’s an accepted way of life on the court.
But now, that apparently extends to off the court violations of league rules as well.
Sports with Balls will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this ongoing story.
