Ringless Charles Barkley Gets Comforting Endorsement From 6-Time NBA Champion

Hall of Famer Charles Barkley was criticized on a nightly basis when he appeared on TNT's Inside The NBA. It was because he was on the only one on the panel without a championship. Co-hosts Kenny Smith and Shaquille O'Neal always used it to shup up Barkley. Smith won two titles with the Houston Rockets in the 1990s. O'Neal earned three in the 2000s, leaving Barkley alone on an island.

But not everyone rails on Barkley for having no rings. Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen recently defended Barkley against those who challenge his legacy.

"In Charles Barkley's situation, I would say no," Pippen said on the PBD Podcast. "I would say no because he won two gold medals. He helped globalized basketball all over the world. He didn't have to play but in one NBA Finals and he didn't win but everybody knows Charles Barkley because of his personality, because of him working on TNT but really because he was a heck of a basketball player. He was a great player."

Chuck Didn’t Need a RING to Be Great - Scottie Pippen #NBA #nbanews #basketball #short

Posted by Hoopstoryz on Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Pippen played a role in Barkley being unable to win a title. He teamed with Michael Jordan on the Bulls to defeat Barkley's Phoenix Suns in 1993.

"He probably deserved to win a title, ran into Michael and the Bulls," Pippen said. "Charles was a heck of a player. He's had a great career as an analyst as well."

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