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Miami Herald
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Charles Barkley and Shaq have awkward moment over HBCU legend
Former Kentucky State and HBCU basketball star Billy Ray Bates was mentioned during a recent 'Inside the NBA' episode highlighting a famous playoff performance from his days as a Portland Trail Blazer. But the conversation quickly turned awkward thanks to Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal. The incident occurred on Sunday during a discussion about notable playoff debuts, where Bates' impressive 29-point performance off the bench in 1980 was highlighted. Co-host Charles Barkley questioned whether Bates was still alive, to which Shaquille O'Neal incorrectly asserted that Bates had passed away.? The following night, Johnson addressed the mistake on-air, stating, 'We would like to issue a correction and an apology for something that happened last night on 'Inside the NBA.' We were talking about Billy Ray Bates… In the course of our discussion, we passed on some bad information that Billy Ray Bates had passed away. While it was inadvertent, it was also inaccurate, and insensitive, and inexcusable. In short, we screwed up. And we apologize to Billy Ray Bates and his family.' The show faced criticism for not verifying the information before broadcasting it, especially given that such facts can be easily confirmed. Bates, now 68, had a brief but impactful NBA career, primarily with the Portland Trail Blazers, and also played for the Washington Bullets … the Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged an impressive 26.7 points per game in six playoff appearances, solidifying his place in NBA history.? Billy Ray Bates was drafted in the third round of the 1978 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets but didn't make his NBA debut until 1980. Bates, who held the nickname 'Black Superman' had a stellar collegiate career at Kentucky State University from 1974 to 1978. Over 107 games, he scored 1,723 points, averaging 16.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. His breakout came during the 1976–77 season, when he posted 22.9 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Bates showcased impressive efficiency, shooting 56% from the field and nearly 78% from the free-throw line throughout his college years. Known for his explosive scoring and athleticism, he steadily improved each season, becoming a dominant force by his junior and senior years. Bates' collegiate legacy remains one of Kentucky State's finest. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of fact-checking, particularly when discussing individuals' lives on public platforms. The post Charles Barkley and Shaq have awkward moment over HBCU legend appeared first on HBCU Gameday. Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
New York Post
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Inside the NBA' kills off NBA playoff hero Billy Ray Bates — but there's one major problem
Some questions are best left unasked, especially on national television. During 'Inside the NBA' on Sunday, Charles Barkley asked whether former Trail Blazers, Bullets and Lakers guard Billy Ray Bates was still alive. And that's when it all went south fast, with co-analyst Shaquille O'Neal later saying 'he passed away.' Advertisement There's just one problem — Bates is alive. The mayhem started after a graphic aired showing how Ty Jerome's 28 points off the bench in Cleveland's Game 1 ranked fourth in NBA history for reserve players, one point behind Bates' 29 that he scored for Portland in a 1980 game against the Sonics. Advertisement 'Billy Ray Bates, built like a truck,' Kenny Smith said. 'I wonder if he's still alive. It's a fair question,' Barkley then said before waiting a second while his co-hosts digested what he just said. 'It's a fair question.' 4 Billy Ray Bates is a playoff hero for the Trail Blazers from 1980. X, @awfulannouncing Bates is still alive and well at the age of 68, but Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith chided Barkley about it being insensitive to ask if someone was still alive in front of millions of people. Advertisement '(It isn't a fair question) not unless you know the answer,' Johnson said. 'You do not need to ask a question like that.' And that's when O'Neal provided some wrong info. 4 Charles Barkley asks whether Billy Ray Bates is still alive. X, @awfulannouncing 'He passed away,' O'Neal said. Advertisement With none of the hosts seemingly knowing whether O'Neal was right or wrong, the focus shifted back to Johnson and Smith scolding Barkley for asking the question. 'Have you ever heard of asking a question during a commercial break? Possibly?' Johnson said before Smith continued to dig into Barkley. 'Social skills.' 4 Ernie Johnson is forced to issue an apology for saying Billy Ray Bates is not alive. X, @awfulannouncing Barkley then apologized for his remarks and one day later, Johnson did some further apologizing since they killed off a man who is not dead. 'We would like to issue a correction and an apology for something that happened last night on 'Inside the NBA.' We were talking about Billy Ray Bates, who back in 1980, had one of the NBA's best playoff debuts coming off the bench with 29 points,' Johnson said. 'In the course of our discussion, we passed on some bad information that Billy Ray Bates had passed away. While it was inadvertent, it was also inaccurate, and insensitive and inexcusable. In short, we screwed up. And we apologize to Billy Ray Bates and his family.' 4 Ernie Johnson scolds Charles Barkley for asking if Bates is still alive, which O'Neal incorrectly adds that he is not alive. X, @awfulannouncing Bates, 68, is just six years older than Barkley. Bates' big game came in a 120-110 Game 1 loss to the Supersonics. Advertisement Bates averaged 25 points per game off the bench in the series, which Seattle won in three games. He averaged 11.7 points in his short career from 1979-83. 'Inside the NBA' is best known for its brash and unapologetic off-script style of sports talk, but they have gone too far this time. The show is expected to move to ESPN after the 2026 season when Warner Bros. and TNT cease broadcasting basketball.
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Inside the NBA forced to issue on-air apology after Shaquille O'Neal wrongly claimed ex-player has died
Inside the NBA host Ernie Johnson was forced to apologize on behalf of the show this week after Shaquille O'Neal incorrectly reported former player Billy Ray Bates is dead. During Sunday's broadcast on TNT, the panel were looking at NBA statistics which showed the players who scored the most ever points off the bench in playoffs debuts. Bates - who spent time with the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers and formerly-named Washington Bullets in his 13-year basketball career - was third in the list after scoring 29 on his debut back in 1980. In an awkward moment, long-time analyst Charles Barkley said to the rest of the panel about Billy: 'I wonder if he's still alive.' Johnson and Kenny Smith immediately scolded Barkley for asking such a question on live television, before the latter argued: 'It's a fair question!' 'Not unless you know the answer,' Johnson replied. Charles Barkley was scolded on 'Inside the NBA' for asking if Billy Ray Bates is still alive. — Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 21, 2025 "In the course of our discussion, we passed on some bad information that Billy Ray Bates had passed away. While it was inadvertent, it was also inaccurate, & insensitive, & inexcusable. In short, we screwed up. And we apologize to Billy Ray Bates and his family." - Ernie Johnson — Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 21, 2025 However, the bizarre exchange eventually took a turn for the worse when Shaq wrongly confirmed to Barkley that Bates, who is still alive at the age of 68, is in fact dead. 'He passed away, Chuck,' O'Neal told his fellow pundit. 'He passed away.' At the time of writing, there have been no reports of Bates passing away, nor has it been announced that he is battling any major health problems. The following day, Johnson began TNT's broadcast of the show by issuing an on-air apology to the former shooting guard and his family. 'We would like to issue a correction and an apology for something that happened last night on Inside the NBA,' he said directly to the camera. 'We were talking about Billy Ray Bates, who back in 1980, had one of the NBA's best playoff debuts coming off the bench with 29 points. 'In the course of our discussion, we passed on some bad information that Billy Ray Bates had passed away. While it was inadvertent, it was also inaccurate, and insensitive, and inexcusable. In short, we screwed up.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Inside the NBA' Sends Public Apology for Shaquille O'Neal's 'Inexcusable' Mistake
Shaquille O'Neal and the rest of the "Inside the NBA" crew found themselves in hot water over some comments that were made in the aftermath of Sunday's Game 1 matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat. O'Neal and Co. were heaping praise on Cavs guard Ty Jerome's 28-point explosion off the bench to help Cleveland draw first blood in their opening-round series against Miami with a 121-100 victory. Advertisement Jerome made history with his incredible performance by joining an elite list of players who have scored the most points in a postseason debut as a reserve. One of the players on the said list was former Portland Trail Blazers guard Billy Ray Bates, and this was where the controversy stemmed. O'Neal mistakenly declared that Bates had "passed away," when the fact of the matter is that the 68-year-old is still very much alive and well. NBA analyst and former player Shaquille O'Neal speaks before the game between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Edmondson-Imagn Images On Monday, Ernie Johnson addressed the issue at hand, issuing a public apology on behalf of O'Neal and the rest of the team. "We would like to issue a correction and an apology for something that happened last night on 'Inside the NBA,'" Johnson said. "... In the course of our discussion, we passed on some bad information that Billy Ray Bates had passed away. Advertisement "While it was inadvertent, it was also inaccurate and insensitive and inexcusable. We apologize to Billy Ray Bates and his family." There's no denying that "Inside the NBA" is one of the most well-loved shows in basketball. The same can be said of how most fans view O'Neal, Johnson, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith, who have hosted this show for many years. However, there are times like these when they are involved in an occasional blunder. As Johnson said in the statement, they are not making any excuses for their error. Instead, they have decided to issue a sincere public apology in the hope that everyone can now move on from the issue. Related: Shaquille O'Neal's Blunt Take on Nico Harrison's Luka Doncic Claim: 'His Problem Is...'
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shaquille O'Neal Incorrectly Declares NBA Legend Has Passed Away
Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal is no stranger to the spotlight. Revered for his dominance during the early 2000s, O'Neal was the centerpiece of a Los Angeles Lakers dynasty that captured three consecutive NBA titles. He also added a fourth championship in Miami before wrapping up a career that spanned six franchises. Since retirement, he has become a beloved television personality on TNT's Inside the NBA—but not without the occasional misstep. On Sunday night, O'Neal found himself on the wrong end of an awkward moment during the postgame show following the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat playoff game. NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal. David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports The panel was celebrating Ty Jerome's standout 28-point performance off the bench, placing him among the top four for most points in a playoff debut as a reserve—alongside Malik Monk, Ben Gordon, and Billy Ray Bates. Advertisement As the crew reminisced about Bates, co-host Charles Barkley praised the former Portland Trail Blazer, calling him 'built like a truck,' before asking, 'Is he still alive?' The question was met with a moment of silence and awkward laughter, until O'Neal confidently responded, "He passed away." However, that statement was incorrect. A fan quickly took to X to fact-check O'Neal, confirming that Billy Ray Bates is still alive. "Billy Ray Bates is definitely still alive," the fan wrote. The 68-year-old is indeed still alive, per his Basketball Reference page. This moment has been trending on social media, sparking jokes online and some light criticism of O'Neal. Bates played four seasons in the NBA, with his final games coming with the Lakers. Advertisement Related: Fans Unanimously Roast Shannon Sharpe After Lakers' Game 1 Loss Related: Lakers Rule Out Player for Game 1 Against Timberwolves
