LeBron James is no fan of Charles Barkley right now

LeBron James didn’t hold back in his criticism of Charles Barkley after the Cavs loss to the Mavericks Monday.

This season, the pressure is on for LeBron James. Not only does he have to worry about the prospect of a Finals rematch with a loaded Golden State Warriors team, he’s also dealing with locker room issues he spilled to the media.

Now he’s having to deal with the media over the issues he created. Charles Barkley has been one of James’ more vocal critics, calling him “whiny.” James, normally the king of passive aggression, has had enough. Barkley has come for James for years, and shares the crown with Skip Bayless as the media’s biggest LeBron hater. James, speaking with ESPN, hit back at Barkley:

"“He’s a hater,” James told ESPN of Barkley following the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ 104-97 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Monday. “What makes what he says credible? Because he’s on TV?”"

James took his comments on Barkley a step further, implying Barkley isn’t going to taint his legacy or fans perceptions of him.

"“I’m not going to let him disrespect my legacy like that,” James told ESPN. “I’m not the one who threw somebody through a window. I never spit on a kid. I never had unpaid debt in Las Vegas. I never said, ‘I’m not a role model.’ I never showed up to All-Star Weekend on Sunday because I was in Vegas all weekend partying."

James usually takes the high road — he’s never been this direct. It’s apparent the pressure of the season is taking a toll. It’s reminiscent of when James charged at Carlos Boozer four years ago.

For years, he’s taken on hard hits. As seen above, James had enough of the treatment. James has heard his fair share of criticism and is now leaving the passiveness behind. James has accomplished a lot throughout his 14 seasons in the NBA. He just wants Barkley to give him the respect he deserves.

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