NBA legend Charles Barkley continues to express doubts about Kevin Durant’s desire to be a team leader.
Barkley recently made the remarks while discussing the Phoenix Suns, emphasizing that Durant’s leadership style is not as strong as some of his peers.
“I don’t think Kevin Durant wants to be a leader,” Barkley said in a recent interview, via HoopsHype. “He just wants to play basketball, and that’s fine, but somebody on that team has to step up and be the leader.”
Barkley pointed to Durant’s time with the Golden State Warriors, where he thrived while Steph Curry and Draymond Green took on the leadership roles.
Chuck believes the Suns need someone to step up in a similar way, and he sees Devin Booker as the player who needs to take that role.
“But in Phoenix, someone needs to take that role, and in my opinion, it has to be Devin Booker,” Barkley added.
He stressed that a team can’t succeed without a clear leader, particularly in pursuit of an NBA championship.
“You can’t have a team without a leader,” Barkley said. “Kevin just wants to hoop, and that’s fine, but Devin has to take on that leadership role if they want to win a championship.”
Barkley’s comments come as the Suns prepare for the 2024-25 NBA season with high expectations.
Durant, now entering his second full season with the Suns, remains one of the league’s top players, but leadership concerns have persisted throughout his career.
