© Stan Szeto | 2020 Jan 8
It’s going to take more than becoming colleagues for Draymond Green and Charles Barkley to bury the hatchet.
Green and Barkley will co-host a new TNT show “The Arena,” which debuts on July 20. That doesn’t mean they’re friends though, according to Green.
“He’s not a friend of mine,” Draymond told USA Today. “He’s not someone whose opinion matters to me. So there is not a need to hash anything out.
“This isn’t about me vs. Chuck. This is about continuing to bring awareness to the issues that we face as Black Americans. That’s what it’s about for me. Nonetheless, what moment transpires out of us being on the same set, I don’t know.
“But I think it will be good TV. That’s what matters at the end of the day. We’ll all come together and put out a good product.”
The show will also be co-hosted by Cari Champion and Dwyane Wade, and “will examine the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Lives Matter, systemic racial injustices and the changing landscape of society since the NBA postponed play through the point of view of players, NBA teams, their fans and communities” according to a press release.
Green and Barkley have publicly traded barbs for years. The feud reached it’s peak during the 2018 playoffs, when Barkley said on “Inside the NBA” that he wanted to punch Green in the face because he found him annoying.
Green then encouraged Barkley to do so, otherwise, stop talking.
“If he feel that strongly about it, then punch me in the face when you see me,” Green said. “If you not gonna punch me in my face when you see me, then shut up.”
"If he feel that strongly about it, then punch me in the face when you see me.
"If you not gonna punch me in my face when you see me then shut up."
-Draymond Green on Charles Barkley saying he wants to punch Green in the face #Warriors pic.twitter.com/mM5pGuiyCX
— KNBR (@KNBR) May 2, 2018
Listen, we’re not saying that we hope these two come to blows on live television, just that it would make for great entertainment.