The New York Knicks were set to take on the Houston Rockets tonight in the marquee game, but during the pre-broadcast, one player caught all the attention. On tonight’s Inside the NBA, featuring NBA legends Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal, Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns and his perceived deficiencies became the topic of conversation.

“I’m going to be very careful how I phrase this,” Barkley told his cohosts. “[Towns] don’t know how to play basketball… He’s a terrific seven-foot shooter… The matchup dictates whether you shoot threes or you go post up. When he got a little guy on him, there’s no need to shoot threes. When you got a big guy on you, if they’re going to play Joel Embiid on you, take him outside.”

The Hall of Famer made it clear he wasn’t questioning Towns’ talent, but his choices and his approach to the game. Towns, while a prolific shooter at his position, doesn’t use his larger size to get easier shots closer to the rim, especially against smaller defenders.

To explain his point, Barkley pointed to Nikola Jokic, perhaps the best example of a big man who knows how to attack based on his matchup. The multiple-time MVP has added consistent three-point shooting to his game over the last few years, and this season, has extremely high efficiency as a result of exploiting mismatches.

“Joker’s the best I’ve seen at doing it,” Barkley explained. “He don’t never let no little guy guard him. He don’t shoot threes. Now, he’ll shoot a three when he has a big guy guarding him, but when they put one of them little munchkins on him, he take him down low and just punish them.”

Shaquille O’Neal’s Comments Show Difference Between Old Standard and Modern Reality for Bigs

Shaquille O’Neal has often viewed himself as a mouthpiece for legendary NBA centers, especially when speaking to younger players. Now, addressing Karl-Anthony Towns, he didn’t hold back on a playing style that he didn’t agree with.

“I would say this to his face if I was his teammate, he’s playing soft,” O’Neal said. “You’re going to have to decide who you want to be inside or outside. But whatever you decide, you have to be consistent. You can’t say I’m the greatest big man shooter and play like you’ve been playing.”

Towns is having a down year this season, averaging a career-worst 46.7% from the field, averaging just 19.8 points, the lowest since his rookie year. To make things worse, his primary weapon, the three-pointer, has fallen significantly, with him connecting on just 34.9% of them. That’s the lowest figure since his rookie year.

All of his recent offensive issues, combined with his historically poor defense at the center position, have led to a truly disappointing season for the Knicks, who entered the season looking to contend for the championship. O’Neal concluded his statement with a few simple words:

“There’s a big aspiration for the Knicks, and you’re playing soft. S-O-F capital T.”

Towns has endured ‘softness’ labels throughout his career, which have only amplified Barkley and Shaq’s barbs. In early 2026, Celtics legend Paul Pierce trolled Towns after a dismal Knicks outing – 6 points, 6 turnovers vs. Detroit.

Earlier roots trace to 2018, when Jimmy Butler exploded in Timberwolves practice, blasting Towns as ‘soft’ amid trade demands, a tag insiders say persists despite his skills. These echoes make the legends’ words feel like the latest chapter in a decade-long narrative.