Charles Barkley’s eye-opening TikTok comment goes viral

The Sacramento Kings hosted the Houston Rockets on Thursday in the second game of a TNT doubleheader. During halftime of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s dominating Game 1 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, TNT featured stars Alperen Sengun and De’Aaron Fox coming on late in the game. Inside NBA host Charles Barkley had much to say about their arrivals.

Charles Barkley talks about TikTok

When TNT showed De’Aaron Fox arriving, he stopped outside the locker room to play a game for a team member on social media. That led to Charles Barkley to mention the TikTok ban. “Hey, get your TikTok on before it’s illegal!” said the NBA legend.

Alperen Sengun was also shown walking in, and Barkley couldn’t believe his choice of bag, wondering if it was a purse. After Kenny Smith clarified that he wasn’t, Barkley quickly moved on to criticize Sengun for eyeing the buffet outside the locker room, exclaiming, “You can’t eat right before the game!”

TikTok initially took the world by storm when it was first introduced, but now it’s back in the spotlight for the wrong reasons, facing the possibility of a ban. Even NBA legend Charles Barkley, who is relatively new to social media, is aware of the situation.

Barkley only joined social media a year ago. While his Instagram quickly gained a following, Chuck focused on learning the ropes – posting, live streaming, using DMs, and more.

It’s even “technologically challenged”

On a December episode of Inside the NBA, Barkley had to explain the concept of group chat and was grilled by his co-hosts about it.

During a break in the live broadcast, someone had to help Charles Barkley with his phone. On the show, co-host Kenny Smith revealed that Barkley asked how to text two people at once. Barkley admitted at the time that he was “not good with technology,” while his co-workers humorously teased him about not knowing how to do something so basic.

What Barkley doesn’t realize is that it’s starting to look like a TikTok ban might never happen. For now, NBA social media teams around the league are safe.

Current status of TikTok ban

President Joe Biden has reportedly decided not to implement a ban on TikTok that was set to take effect on Sunday, leaving the decision on its future to President-elect Donald Trump just a day before he takes office.

Congress passed bipartisan legislation to ban TikTok, which President Biden signed last year. While Trump initially sought the ban due to the app’s ties to the Chinese government, he recently pushed back against it and expressed his intention to overturn the decision.

The Supreme Court recently heard arguments challenging the TikTok ban and could block the law before it takes effect on Sunday. If the law goes into effect but no administration enforces it, it remains unclear whether TikTok will remain available in the US

Trump is scheduled to be inaugurated for his second term on Monday. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend the inauguration, and reports indicate he will have a prominent place at the podium, according to the Associated Press.