Charles Barkley doesn’t mince words often, but when he does, he makes sure everybody hears him. And his latest take on the Sacramento Kings? It’s brutal.
Speaking with Kirstan Moran-Kellar of Fox 40 at the American Century Championship, the Hall of Fame forward was asked what the Kings need to do to get back to the playoffs. His answer came without hesitation.
“A miracle. A hand of God. The Pope coming to town,” Barkley said. “The Kings are in bad shape right now, and it sucks because they have one of the best fan bases in the world.”
He’s not wrong about the fans. Sacramento has historically shown up and shown out for a franchise that hasn’t exactly rewarded their loyalty. The last time the Kings made the postseason was the 2022-23 season, when they pushed the Golden State Warriors to seven games in the first round before falling apart. That was also the last time Mike Brown coached them. He got fired early in the 2024-25 season, replaced by Doug Christie, and then went on to win a title with the New York Knicks — the franchise’s first championship in 53 years. So that stings a little extra.
Drafting Darius Acuff Jr. with the No. 7 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft gave the franchise a spark, but it’s one rookie and a lot of question marks. The roster still needs real work. According to reports, the Kings might buy out Zach LaVine’s contract, and Domantas Sabonis may be looking for a trade. That’s not exactly the foundation of a contender.
The Kings are in a spot where they’ve got young talent and a loyal fanbase, but the gap between where they are and where they need to be feels enormous right now. Barkley saying it takes divine intervention isn’t an exaggeration, as far as he’s concerned. He’s just the one who said it out loud.
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