Charles Barkley had a wild quote about Joel Embiid’s altercation with the Pistons

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Charles Barkley had a wild quote about Joel Embiid’s altercation with the Pistons

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Rex Villas | Last updated Nov 5, 2026 10:05 AM ET

Charles Barkley added another entry to his ever-growing and legendary lexicon of wild on-air quotes.

While checking out the replay on “Inside the NBA” of a scuffle involving Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid and Detroit Pistons forward Tolu Smith on Wednesday, former NBA superstar center Shaquille O’Neal joked about calling the cops, prompting a candid response from Barkley.

“I’ve been kissed harder,” Barkley quipped.

That’s also when Kenny Smith, seeing a great opportunity to interject, took a hilarious jab at Barkley.

“Stop telling us about your love life,” Smith said.

Chuck: "I’ve been kissed harder." Kenny: "Stop telling us about your love life." https://t.co/3CiiECLO99
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) November 5, 2026

No cops were called on the scene during that heated moment in the first half at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich., but Embiid was slapped with a technical foul after review showed that he instigated the altercation with Smith.

Shaq and Barkley had also seen worse during their days in the league, so their reactions were pretty much on brand.

The 76ers won the contest, 112-106, with the former NBA Most Valuable Player Embiid scoring 26 points on 8/18 shooting and grabbing 15 rebounds in 33 minutes.

Jaylen Brown paced the Sixers with 30 points, while Cade Cunningham poured in 26 points in a losing effort for the Pistons.

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