It is always interesting to see the interactions between sports figures who are connected to rival schools. For NBA legend and former Auburn Tiger Charles Barkley and Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer, it was more than a cordial interaction.
This week, the two shared a moment at the Regions Tradition Golf Tournament in Birmingham, Alabama, where Barkley was seen praising the new coach. What did he say to the second-year ‘Bama leader?
Charles Barkley Betrays Auburn Fans, Shocks ‘Bama Fans In Hilarious Moment With Kalen DeBoer
The Regions Tradition Golf Tournament, held annually in a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, often features a celebrity pro-am that pairs notable Alabama figures in a golf match for charity.
This gave Charles Barkley, NBA analyst for CBS Sports and TNT, an opportunity to praise the Alabama Crimson Tide football program.
‘I can’t say this loud…you have a great program’ 😂
Charles Barkley meets Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer for the first time. pic.twitter.com/YERMT8KkKC
— Patrick Greenfield (@PCGreenfield) May 14, 2025
“I can’t say this loud… you have a great program,” the Auburn alum told the Alabama coach.
Barkley has been known to support his school anytime, anywhere, which is why he jokingly said that he could not say anything positive about Alabama with a loud voice.
In fact, this came to a head when he engaged in a bet with then-Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts, which required the current Eagles quarterback to wear an Auburn jersey.
Jalen Hurts made good on his bet with Charles Barkley … but still managed to troll Auburn 😂 pic.twitter.com/u1XAR8aEFv
— ESPN (@espn) March 8, 2018
At the tail end of the video, Hurts is seen walking away with a national championship trophy, a little knock at Auburn’s small number of titles.
But this is what makes sports, especially college sports, fun. This fun rivalry banter and respect from people are part of the fabric of life around college football.
Charles Barkley and Kalen DeBoer’s Track Records at Their Respective Schools
Both men have a reason to be proud of their schools that they are connected to. Before becoming a basketball Hall of Famer, Barkley was a superstar for Auburn. He ended up getting his No. 34 jersey retired by the school after becoming an All-American and leading the SEC in rebounding all three years that he was there (1981-1984).
The 1984 SEC Player of the Year would go on to be drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the fifth overall pick in 1984, and the rest is history.
RELATED: ‘Bama DC Kane Wommack Shares Honest Assessment of Tide Heading Into Year 2 of DeBoer Era
DeBoer has only been in Alabama for one season since coming from Washington. He guided the Tide to nine wins, which was somewhat disappointing considering the track record that former head coach Nick Saban posted while he was in charge for close to two decades.
DeBoer will look to get the Tide back on track this season after getting his feet wet in 2024. There is no doubt that the former AP Coach of the Year has a big season ahead of him.
Regardless, the pressure did not take away from his moment with Barkley on the golf course.
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