Charles Barkley didn’t mince his phrases on Inside the NBA when addressing the Mafia-linked sports activities betting scandal that has rocked the league and implicated a number of high-profile figures.

With 34 folks indicted—together with Terry Rozier, Chauncey Billups and Damon Jones—Barkley delivered a blunt message in regards to the alleged corruption.

“These dudes are stupid,” Barkley mentioned. “Why are they stupid? You, under no circumstances can you fix basketball games. Under, under no circumstances.”

The Hall of Famer’s frustration stems from allegations that Rozier, a guard for the Miami Heat, left a February 2023 sport early to assist associates revenue over $200,000 from a prop wager tied to his efficiency. Rozier reportedly earns $26 million a yr.

“I love to gamble,” Barkley continued. “The notion, like, Rozier makes $26 million. Him betting, giving people information, or taking himself out of games. How much is he going to benefit taking himself out of the game to get unders? Like, he’s making $26 million.”

The federal indictment, unsealed October 23, 2025, accuses Rozier of utilizing inside data to govern betting outcomes.

Prosecutors say he deliberately exited video games to satisfy betting situations, whereas others allegedly used confidential knowledge to position bets on at the least seven NBA video games between February 2023 and March 2024.

The investigation, led by the FBI and NYPD, began in 2023 and has since expanded to incorporate rigged poker video games involving Mafia households just like the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno organizations.

Authorities declare Billups and Jones labored with these teams to repair high-stakes poker video games utilizing altered shuffling machines, marked playing cards and even X-ray tables. The schemes reportedly cheated gamers out of roughly $7 million.

Both Rozier and Billups have been positioned on go away following their arrests. All events have denied wrongdoing.

Shaquille O’Neal, Barkley’s co-host on Inside the NBA, echoed the frustration, pointing to the obligatory league briefings gamers obtain on playing guidelines.

“Every year they would give us forums on what and what not to do,” O’Neal mentioned. “So all these guys knew what was at stake. And I’m just ashamed that they put themselves and put their family and put the NBA in this position.”

He added, “We all know the rules, we all know the letter of the law, and it’s just unfortunate. You know, innocent until proven guilty. But usually when the FBI has something, they have you.”

The indictment additionally describes how NBA figures have been used as “face cards” to draw rich poker gamers to luxurious places in Las Vegas, Miami, Manhattan and the Hamptons.

Once there, victims have been allegedly cheated utilizing hidden tech and pressured for money owed by means of threats and intimidation.

The timing of the scandal couldn’t be worse for the NBA, which is finalizing an enormous 11-year, $76 billion broadcast deal. The league is now bracing for potential monetary fallout and reputational injury.

Congress has since requested a briefing from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, elevating questions in regards to the league’s oversight of playing exercise and its partnerships with betting corporations.

“There’s nothing more important to the league and its fans than the integrity of the competition,” Silver mentioned during an interview at halftime of the Boston Celtics-New York Knicks sport. “And so I had a pit in my stomach. It was very upsetting.”

Legal specialists warn this may occasionally solely be the start. Some former officers consider the scope of the scandal might widen as extra proof surfaces.

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