Charles Barkley: ‘The most important thing in basketball is the basketball’

After a sloppy first half in Friday’s Sweet 16 game between the Michigan Wolverines and Auburn Tigers, Charles Barkley, an Auburn alum, didn’t attempt to sugarcoat his feelings on the quality of play.

While the Tigers held a 30-29 halftime lead, Barkley was not pleased with what he saw.

“I was disturbed and disgusted by that first half of basketball,” Barkley said to Ernie Johnson. “Ten turnovers. I always tell you, Ernie, the two most important stats in basketball are rebounding and turnovers. You’ve got to value the basketball. Ten possessions — and at least five of those would have been layups. Listen, we got the lead. But if we don’t win this game, it’s because of the turnovers we had in the first half. I ain’t gonna lie. I knew this was gonna be a dogfight. But you gotta value the basketball kids, you gotta value the basketball.”

Barkley continued.

“Basketball — I don’t think people understand — the most important thing in basketball is the basketball. And it sounds simple.”

Charles Barkley was “disturbed and disgusted” by Auburn’s turnover-prone first half against Michigan.

“You gotta value the basketball kids, you gotta value the basketball…The most important thing in basketball is the basketball.” pic.twitter.com/G9UHqfDDVG

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 29, 2025

And while Barkley’s co-hosts laughed at his comments, they also agreed with them.

“That is actually prophetic,” Kenny Smith said.

“It is,” Barkley responded.

“Say it again,” Smith asked of Barkley. “Say it slowly. You gotta say it slow.”

“The most important thing in basketball is the basketball. You have to value the basketball,” Barkley repeated.

Part of the reason why Auburn led at halftime, despite turning the ball over 10 times, is that Michigan was just as loose. The Wolverines turned the ball over eight times in the first half.

In the early moments of the second half, it was clear that neither team was listening to Barkley at halftime.

Neither team was watching the halftime show.

Might not have been a bad idea. https://t.co/qj4on7rfWs pic.twitter.com/lLhrClQtAX

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 29, 2025