Charles Barkley flipped off fans in San Francisco after the NBA legend was booed and abused during NBA All-Star Weekend.
Barkley is part of the popular ‘Inside the NBA’ crew on TNT Sports, alongside Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson.
But the former 76ers, Suns and Rockets star was brutally booed and heckled in San Francisco following disparaging comments he made about the city.
Barkley previously vowed to boycott the All-Star Weekend and referred to San Francisco as ‘rat-infested’ and the ‘armpit of America’. ‘San Francisco is not a beautiful city!’ he insisted.
He U-turned and was part of the crew this weekend but NBA fans in the Bay Area did not let him forget his comments.
They booed Barkley and shouted ‘F*** you, Chuck’ while he sat in the TNT studio, prompting the 61-year-old to turn around in his chair and flip off the fans with both hands.
Charles Barkley flipped off fans in San Francisco after the NBA legend was booed and abused
Barkley previously referred to San Francisco as ‘rat-infested’ and the ‘armpit of America’
In the viral clip, the supporters took his gesture in good spirits, laughing and cheering Barkley as he spun around in his chair.
Following the recent backlash, Barkley spent Saturday volunteering at a San Francisco church, serving meals to the homeless in the notorious Tenderloin neighborhood.
He also vowed to donate $250,000 to an organization that works to tackle poverty and promote social justice.
At another point during All-Star Weekend, however, he was again booed by fans after saying the city needed a clean up.
‘I actually like San Francisco, I really do,’ Barkley said. ‘Obviously we got to do something about the homeless. They need help. We need to clean it up a little bit.’
When the crowd responded by booing, he continued: ‘I say “help the homeless” and some of these people are so stupid they boo.’