Different sports. Different eras. Different regions. But Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley still sees bits and pieces of himself in 49ers star tight end George Kittle.
The two recently met for the first time in person, and they shared a wholesome exchange shared to social media Saturday.
“I like you. We’d never met before last weekend,” Barkley told Kittle, sitting next to his wife Claire in what appears to be a video call. “And you remind me of me when I played basketball. When I watch you play football, I’m like, ‘That dude loves playing football.’ “
“I do,” Kittle replied with a massive grin on his face.
Barkley played in the NBA for 16 seasons on three teams. He was an 11-time NBA All-Star, 11-time All-NBA member and one-time league MVP.
He followed up his already impressive playing career with a jump as one of the most admired and beloved basketball analysts, most notably on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” alongside Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal and Ernie Johnson Jr.
Barkley’s humor and wit have made him one of the best at what he does, and just as he described Kittle on the gridiron, you can see through the TV screen just how much Barkley loves his job now and loved his job when he was on the court.
“The one thing I wanted people to understand [was], man, I loved playing basketball,” Barkley said. “I felt I was so lucky and blessed to do something so stupid for a living. We’re not like teachers. We’re not firemen. We’re not policemen. We’re not somebody in the armed service. I said, dude, we hit the lottery of life. And all you got to do is go out there and bust your hump.
“And when I finally got a chance to meet you last week, I’m like, hey man, I really wanted to meet you this weekend because when I watch you play football, I know you love your job.”
For those watching, it’s quite obvious to see Kittle loves what he does.
And he might love it a whole lot more if the 49ers can bounce back from a down 2024 season and continue their Quest for Six in 2025.
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