Charles Barkely kept his silence about the Breonna Taylor ruling during Saturday’s NBA pregame coverage after he received backlash for his comments about the Kentucky attorney general’s decision.
A day after the Kentucky official indicted Louisville Detective Brett Hankinson in the slaying of the EMT, Barkely said that he is wary to lump instances of police violence together.
“I don’t think this one was like George Floyd or Ahmaud Arbery and things like that. I feel sad that this young lady lost her life,” he said Thursday on TNT. “But I am worried to lump all these situations in together.”
“But we do have to take into account that her boyfriend shot at the cops and shot a cop. So like I say, even though I am really sorry she lost her life, I just don’t think we can put this in the same situation as George Floyd or Ahmaud Arbery,” he added.
Shaquille O’Neal also shared similar sentiments about Thursday’s ruling, which dubbed the three Louisville officers innocent in the March killing of the EMT.
Since making the comments Thursday, Barkley has remained quiet on social media and strayed away from the topic during Saturday’s show. The hall-of-famer, however, had a bit to say about the Los Angeles Clippers and the Denver Nuggets. The Latter team is set to face off against the Los Angeles Lakers tonight.
“The Denver Nuggets are going down tonight, guaranteed,” he said.