“Luka Doncic Is A Bum”: Charles Barkley Calls Out The Media’s Hypocrisy On Their Takes Regarding The Lakers
Mar 19, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) after 60 point game against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center. | Credits- Isabella Frias-Imagn Images Narratives can shift fairly quickly in the NBA, and sometimes, it can even feel absurd. Just a month ago, the Lakers were labeled as a lost ship, as they struggled with inconsistency and were unbale to figure things out.
Nobody truly bought into it despite the combination of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James. Now, they’re suddenly the darlings of the media again. The Lakers have won nine in a row and look like one of the more dominant teams in the Western Conference.
James has shifted into a terrific supporting role behind Reaves and Doncic. The Don in particular has been on a tear. In his last six games he’s dropped 51, 30, 36, 40, 60, and 33.
He is the hottest player in the league right now. Charles Barkley recognizes the Lakers’ ascension. The NBA legend was a guest on Jim Rome to speak about Doncic’s exceptional play over the last ten games and in doing so—in a way that only Chuck can—he criticized the NBA media landscape for changing their tune on Doncic every so often.
“Three months ago it was the greatest trade in sports history. Two weeks ago, ‘Luka was a bum. ’ It’s almost comical when you wake up in the morning and watch TV,” chirped the Hall of Famer.