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[Saba Sports News] Charles Barkley isn’t sold on the current direction of college basketball.
During ESPN’s broadcast of Wednesday’s Auburn-Ole Miss game, Barkley was asked by announcer Karl Ravech for his thoughts on the state of the sport.
While Ravech seemed to be setting him up to discuss three-point shooting and style of play, Barkley instead zeroed in on a much bigger issue—college basketball’s financial model.
“I think we’ve got to have a talk about college basketball. I don’t think the model of NIL is sustainable,” Barkley said.
“Listen, I want all these kids to get whatever they can get, but asking colleges to come up with $20-$30 million a year, especially some of the smaller schools, I don’t think that’s a sustainable model. I love these kids. I want them to do well.”
Barkley also emphasized the importance of education and the rising costs of attending college.
“Most of these kids get a free education, which is by far the most important thing. One of the great travesties of this country is what we’re charging kids to go to college. We need to find a way to make sure the smaller schools can compete.”
Barkley is far from the first to express these concerns. Several high-profile coaches have stepped away from the game, citing NIL and broader changes as major reasons for their decisions.
Similar issues have impacted college football, particularly in how smaller programs struggle to keep up.
While Barkley has never claimed to be a college basketball guru, his concerns echo those of many who fear that the current system is widening the gap between powerhouse programs and everyone else.