Charles Barkley On Thanasis Antetokounmpo: 'That Guy Got Better Job Security Than A Supreme Court Justice'

Well, Barkley was probably right about that. Thanasis could play terribly on the court and not be the greatest teammate either, but he'd still have a roster spot on the Milwaukee Bucks, all thanks to his brother, Giannis Antetokounmpo.

As long as Giannis is on the Bucks, Thanasis will be as well, and it's the clearest case of nepotism there is in the NBA at the moment. He is averaging just 1.0 points, 0.4 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game in this 2023-24 campaign but is not at any risk of being cut.

Thanasis only gets to play during garbage time, as he simply isn't good enough to play any meaningful minutes for the Bucks. There is a stat that sums him up, and that is Thanasis has more fouls than field goals made in his NBA career.

At the end of the day, though, if having his brother on the team is what Giannis wants or makes him happy, the Bucks would be more than willing to give him a spot. Teams make all kinds of concessions for their superstars, and having Thanasis as the 14th or 15th guy on the roster isn't too big of an issue for the Bucks. He has been with the franchise now since the 2019-20 season and would have made $9 million at the end of this campaign.

NBA Fans Reacted To Charles Barkley's Viral Comment

Barkley's comment went viral on X, as you might imagine, and NBA fans reacted to it.

One said Barkley was on point.

A fan called it an unbelievable quote from Barkley.

One thinks Barkley needs to start doing stand-up comedy at this point.

A fan actually respects Giannis helping his brother.

One fan thinks Thanasis could have become a solid player had he not wasted the last few years sitting on the Bucks bench.

Maybe Thanasis could have become a decent role player had he gone that route. It's too late now, though, but I doubt he is losing any sleep over it.

NBA Executives Kept It Real When Asked If Thanasis Should Be In The League

Nepotism exists in most walks of life, but it's harder to hide when it comes to sports. You normally have to work twice as hard to prove that you're not a product of it if someone related to you is in a position of power. Thanasis hasn't quite done that, hence the scrutiny. NBA executives were also asked whether Antetokounmpo deserves a spot in the league and they were brutally honest with their responses.

"When asked if Thanasis Antetokounmpo would be on an NBA roster without Giannis Antetokounmpo's assistance, three NBA officials responded as follows:

"An NBA player personnel director: 'No,’' he responded immediately.

"An NBA scout: 'Let me think about this for a few seconds. (He then pauses for about 10 seconds before answering). No.'

"An NBA general manager: 'Hey, we know what that’s all about. It’s all about appeasing Giannis. But to answer your question, no.’"

I think that's the standard response you would get from most executives around the league. As the general manager said, though, they understand what that's all about.