NBA legend Charles Barkley defended Wayne Gretzky, arguably the best hockey player of all time, against criticisms that he hasn’t been loyal to his home country of Canada.
Gretzky has faced criticisms for his support for President Donald Trump, with the Great One having appeared at Trump’s inauguration and even in a photo wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat.
As the trade war between President Trump and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has raged on, Gretzky faced even more heat after the 4 Nations Face-Off hockey tournament, which had the United States and Canada reignite a decades’ old rivalry on the ice. When the two countries met in the tournament final, Gretzky was berated for not wearing a team Canada jersey during the opening ceremony,
“You got them fools up in Canada giving the Great One a hard time, I went off on them,” Barkley explained on an “NBA on TNT” segment. “I was in that mood.”
Barkley and the TNT crew, which includes NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal, were discussing incredible sports records that seem impossible to break. These included Jerry Rice’s 22,895 total receiving yards in the NFL, Wilt Chamberlain’s 50.4 points per-game average in the NBA, and Gretzky’s career point total in the NHL of 2,857. The panel was astounded that Gretzky had over 1,000 points more than the second-highest point scorer in NHL history, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins (1,662).
“Wayne Gretzky is the greatest hockey player, and he’s the nicest person,” Barkley said about the 64-year-old. “The fools up in Canada give him a hard time because of the tariff with Trump and everything.”
Barkley went on, “He has nothing to do with that. He played hockey. He’s the greatest hockey player ever. He got no control of what these fools do down here in our government.”
The other co-hosts laughed at Barkley’s enthusiasm, with former basketball player Kenny Smith remarking, “Well, his nickname is the Great One.”
Host Ernie Johnson also noted that Barkley was “in a venting kind of mood.”
‘It has broken his heart.’
According to Gretzky’s wife, Janet, the former NHL player had been in emotional shambles over comments about him betraying his country.
“I have never met anyone who is more Proud to be a Canadian,” Mrs. Gretzky wrote on Instagram, according to the Washington Post.
“It has broken his heart to read and see the mean comments,” she added.
Her remarks, which were reportedly deleted, were in reaction to fellow NHL legend Bobby Orr penning an op-ed in a Canadian newspaper in support of Gretzky.
Trump also supported Gretzky in a post on Truth Social and said he is a “fantastic guy” who could run for any political office in Canada and win.
This wasn’t the only time Trump had remarked Gretzky could be a politician; in December 2024, Trump said Gretzky could be “governor” of Canada after it becomes the “51st state.”
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Fearless, Nhl, Hockey, Charles barkley, Nba, Canada, Tariffs, Trump, Trudeau, Sports
