Did Charles Barkley Give Lakers' Tickets To Cam Newton?

January 6 2011 Last updated at 10:20 PM ET

Charles Barkley: I Did Not Give Cam Newton Lakers-Suns Tickets

By Milton Kent Writer/Columnist



Sometimes you get the feeling that if Charles Barkley didn't exist, someone would have to invent him.

Barkley, the irrepressible Hall of Famer and NBA television analyst, denied Thursday night a Twitter posting from a Birmingham, Ala., media personality that he had given tickets to Auburn quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton for Wednesday's Phoenix Suns-Los Angeles Lakers game in Phoenix.

Newton attended the game along with other members of the Auburn team as well as players from Oregon, their opponent in Monday's BCS title game in nearby Glendale, Ariz.

Jim Dunaway, who appears on Birmingham television and radio, sent a Tweet that read, "Hanging at Lakers-Suns ... Pugh and most Auburn players in upper deck ... Cam in lower bowl. Thanks Barkley for the tix."

Dunaway claimed in a subsequent tweet that he was thanking the former Suns forward who lives in Phoenix for his tickets, not claiming that Barkley had given them to Newton. However, his posting made the rounds on the Internet, and Barkley took to the airwaves at halftime of the Dallas Mavericks-Oklahoma City Thunder game to issue his denial.

"I did not give Cam Newton tickets to the game," said Barkley, who also attended Auburn.

Barkley said he has never met Newton, but added -- with tongue planted firmly in cheek, we think -- "If he would have called me, I would have gotten him tickets to the game. The guy won the Heisman Trophy and he's one of the greatest jocks I've ever seen at Auburn. He's right after me and Bo Jackson."

Barkley also quipped that he would have put Newton in the Lakers' locker room if the quarterback had wanted.