Barkley, the TNT analyst, said he hopes that New York can build off of its successful 2020-21 season.

“I root for them because two of my friends are part of that organization. (Knicks assistant coach) Kenny Payne, one of my teammates, and (Knicks executive vice president) William Wesley, a really, really good friend,” Barkley said. “So I want to see the Knicks do good.”

Barkley doesn’t share the same enthusiasm for the Nets. He said during the conference call that he’s rooting against Brooklyn.

“If they win it, they win it. But I want to be perfectly clear: I’m rooting against those guys. I root against all super teams,” he said.

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving signed with Brooklyn in the 2019 offseason and the club traded for James Harden during the 2020-21 season.

Barkley, who teamed up with Clyde Drexler and Scottie Pippen in Houston late in their careers, resents the trend of current players joining forces to try to win a championship.

“I’m old school. If I would have known that you guys were going to made fun of me for not winning a championship, I would have joined a super team back in my day,” said Barkley, who will participate in the 54-hole American Century Championship next month. “Me and Patrick (Ewing) and Karl Malone and John Stockton. I feel good about my legacy. I’m pretty sure Patrick, Karl and John do. LeBron (James) started this super team thing and it’s the way the game is played now.”

Barkley offered another Knick-Net comparison during the conference call. He said Madison Square Garden was ‘on fire’ during the playoffs but he described a different atmosphere at the Barclays Center.

“The Brooklyn Nets got a much better team but when they play it’s like a mausoleum. And they got a much better team,” Barkley said. “That place (MSG) was on fire and I’m hoping that they keep getting better because I’ve been there when it’s been on fire.”

Popular in the Community