'these Dudes Are Stupid': Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'neal Weigh In On Nba Gambling Scandal - Beritaja

Shaquille O’Neal said he’s “ashamed” of the group progressive successful the gambling ungraded that rocked the NBA connected Thursday.

Charles Barkley called 2 of the individuals progressive successful the matter “stupid.”

Kenny Smith said the business is “super unfortunate.”

One time aft the “Inside the NBA” unit made its ESPN debut, the 3 analysts, arsenic good arsenic big Ernie Johnson, had a immense communicative to talk that had small to do pinch the existent crippled of basketball.

On Thursday morning, national prosecutors unsealed 2 indictments that outlined abstracted schemes to rig sports bets and poker games. More than 30 group were arrested, including erstwhile Clippers subordinate and existent Portland caput coach Chauncey Billups, who was charged pinch participating successful a conspiracy to hole high-stakes paper games tally by Mafia families.

Also arrested were Miami Heat defender Terry Rozier, who is accused of being portion of a strategy to supply backstage insider NBA accusation to thief others profit from online bets, and retired subordinate Damon Jones, who has been charged pinch taking portion successful some schemes.

“All these guys knew what was astatine stake, and I’m conscionable ashamed that they put themselves and put their family and put the NBA successful this position,” O’Neal said during Thursday’s broadcast. “We each cognize the rules. We each cognize the missive of the law. And it’s conscionable unfortunate — you know, guiltless till proven guilty, but usually erstwhile the FBI has something, they person you.”

He added: “I cognize Chauncey. I cognize Damon very well, played pinch Damon. ... I’m ashamed that those guys will put their families and their careers successful jeopardy. There’s an aged saying successful the hood, each money ain’t bully money. So if you’re making $9 million, like, really overmuch much do you need? Especially if you cognize you get caught, you could do jailhouse time, suffer your career, put a bad image connected yourself aliases your family aliases connected the NBA.”

Smith pointed retired that “gambling is an addiction which could make you make illogical decisions,” but Barkley interjected his sentiment that addiction had thing to do pinch the determination Jones and Rozier made to thief others make fraudulent bets.

“This ain’t sewage thing to do pinch addiction. These dudes are stupid,” Barkley said. “Why are they stupid? You nether nary circumstances could you hole hoops games. Under nary circumstances. ... Like, Rozier makes $26 million. Him betting, giving group accusation aliases taking himself retired of games — really overmuch is he going to use taking himself retired the crippled to get unders?”

Barkley added: “You can’t hole shot games. Like I said, this is abstracted from Chauncey, but the conception that guys are making each this money and giving accusation — travel on, man, extremity that. That sewage thing to do pinch addiction. That’s conscionable full stupidity connected these 2 dudes parts.”

Billups — a five-time All-Star who was the 2004 NBA Finals MVP arsenic a personnel of the Detroit Pistons and is successful his 5th play arsenic Portland’s coach — and 10-year NBA seasoned Rozier were placed connected contiguous leave, the convention announced Thursday.

Billups’ lawyer issued a connection Thursday nighttime powerfully denying the allegations against his client.

“Anyone who knows Chauncey Billups knows he is simply a man of integrity,” lawyer Chris Heywood said. “Men of integrity do not cheat and defraud others.”

Jones played 3 seasons pinch LeBron James connected the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005 to 2008 and was an adjunct coach during the Lakers star‘s 2nd stint successful Cleveland. In 1 of the indictments, prosecutors allege Jones was an unofficial coach pinch the Lakers from 2022 to 2023 erstwhile he utilized wrong accusation for sports betting.