Charles Barkley believes Philadelphia sports’ good times will continue.
The Basketball Hall of Famer and Turner Sports analyst predicted the Philadelphia 76ers will win the NBA championship this season. Barkley made the bold claim in the aftermath of Villanova’s win over Michigan in Monday’s night’s NCAA Tournament national championship game, which followed the Philadelphia Eagles’ victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII.
“Hey … I’m gonna make a prediction,” Barkley said on TBS’ postgame show, via Philly.com’s Rob Tornoe. “The Eagles won, Villanova won, the 76ers are gonna win the championship.”
Barkley’s media cohorts laughed at his prediction in apparent acknowledgement of his in-the-moment bullishness. After all, Barkley did spend the first eight years of his legendary NBA career in Philly.
The Sixers currently own the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference with just six games remaining in the regular season. They might overtake the Cleveland Cavaliers for the third seed in the playoffs, but their road to glory still will be difficult.
But Villanova’s second national title in three seasons apparently has Barkley convinced their success will flow upward, resulting in the Sixers ending their 35-year title drought.
