The NBA was in an uproar again when Charles Barkley, the former legend and “king of sports commentary,” bluntly exposed LeBron James’s latest injury, making the entire basketball community laugh.
On the show Inside the NBA last night, Barkley was asked about LeBron’s condition, who the Lakers had just announced was “resting due to sciatica.” Not bothering to hold back, Barkley burst into laughter and said something that made the whole studio explode:
“Sciatica? Come on, just say it as OLD… with a D for sure!”
The whole studio was rolling with laughter. Shaquille O’Neal pounded the table nonstop, while Ernie Johnson had to stop the show for a few seconds because he couldn’t contain his laughter.
But Barkley didn’t stop there. He continued:
“I love LeBron, but he’s going into his 23rd season. At this point, it doesn’t matter where he hurts — as long as he can play without his knees popping, he’s a blessing!”
Fans on social media immediately exploded. Within 15 minutes, the phrase “OLD… with an extra D” had become a viral meme across Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram. One fan even combined a photo of LeBron wearing an old man’s robe and holding a cane with the caption: “Sciatica? No, it’s just Season 23 Syndrome.”
Amid the laughter, however, some loyal LeBron fans were not amused. One account commented:
“LeBron still plays over 35 minutes a game at 40. Barkley is funny, but he’s never been able to maintain that form.”
But Barkley is still Barkley — he doesn’t respect anyone, not even “The King.” At the end of the show, he concluded with a sentence that made the whole US laugh again:
“LeBron doesn’t have sciatica. He just has a sore back from carrying the team for the past 10 years!”
This sentence immediately became the top trending NBA sentence that night, with thousands of comments agreeing and laughing with tears.
A veteran sports journalist wrote:
“Charles Barkley is the only person who can make the whole world laugh when talking about LeBron’s injury. And the scary thing is – he’s not completely wrong.”
Meanwhile, LeBron James remained silent. No reaction, no post. But those close to him said “The King” laughed when he heard Barkley speak, only softly replying:
“Let him talk — legends joke about legends.”
A gentle sentence, but enough to prove: LeBron doesn’t need to speak up. Because when you are a legend, people joking about you is also a way to acknowledge your greatness.
And if Barkley calls him “OLD”… well, maybe it’s “O” for Outstanding, “L” for Legendary, and “D” for Dominant.
