Charles Barkley isn't one to let a comment about an athlete not being "black enough" go by without a comment.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Westbrook accused of not being "black enough"
A Bleacher Report story that alluded to unnamed sources within the Seattle Seahawks organization saying that quarterback Russell Wilson was wasn't "black enough" and that he was too close to management and unwilling to admit mistakes.
Barkley first addressed his position to a Philadelphia radio station last week and then reiterated his position this week during a media day for TNT network's "Inside the NBA."
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"What I said was, it's a dirty secret in the black community unless you're a thug or got a criminal record or just a jackass, some people don't think you're black enough," Barkley said, as USA TODAY Sports' For the Win reported. "It's a dirty little secret in our community. I want black kids [to know] we can be strong, intelligent. We just tell kids if you're doing good in school, you're acting white. If you speak intelligently, you're acting white. That's bull(expletive). That's one of the reasons we as a group, us black people, are struggling. We don't have great respect for each other."
The NBA Hall of Famer added that he was surprised his comments about the topic went national now in relation, as opposed to his last book - when he said he originally made those comments.
"The question was asked. I talked about it in my last book. One of the problems in our black community is us, not white folks, other black folks. It just happened to come up because the Russell Wilson thing just broke. It's not something I hadn't said before. I don't know why people took it national last week. You don't have to be a thug or unintelligent. You're supposed to do great academically. You're supposed to speak correctly. You don't have to have street cred. I tell people, 'We're the only group where if you have a criminal record it makes you more black.' It's ridiculous."
Barkley then added that Wilson's blackness wasn't a problem last year when the Seahawks won the Super Bowl.
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