Charles Barkley Causes Uproar For “Big Bi**hes” In San Antonio Remark

Charles Barkley is once again under fire for resurfacing an old controversy — this time reignited during the 2025 Capital One JamFest at the NCAA men’s basketball championship.

While addressing the crowd at the March Madness music festival on Monday (April 7), the outspoken NBA Hall of Famer praised the host city of San Antonio before taking a sharp left turn with a comment that’s stirred widespread backlash.

“Listen, San Antonio is a great city,” said the 62-year-old Barkley. “I want to say this, y’all are a great city. I love Gregg Popovich and the Spurs. No seriously San Antonio, y’all put on a major, major, great show. And I want to say this… and yes, y’all got some big b**ches here.”

The reaction was immediate and polarized — cheers erupted from some fans who are accustomed to Barkley’s blunt, unfiltered style, while others booed in audible disgust.

Capital One executive Marc Mentry, who was on stage with Barkley, quickly moved on without addressing the comment directly. This isn’t the first time “The Chuckster” has targeted San Antonio’s weight demographics.

In 2014, during a segment on TNT’s Inside the NBA, he joked that San Antonio is home to “some big ol’ women,” further adding, “Victoria is definitely a secret down there… They wear bloomers down there… ain’t nothing skimpy.”

Barkley’s running gag about the women of San Antonio has remained a staple of his on-air personality, though it’s drawn increasing criticism over the years.

His past remarks have prompted renewed backlash from organizations such as the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance and the Obesity Action Coalition, both of which condemned the comments as fatphobic and harmful.

Though Barkley’s brand has long been defined by his no-holds-barred delivery, critics argue that his jokes come at the expense of marginalized communities — and that, this time, he may have gone too far.

See footage of Barkley at the 2025 Capital One JamFest below.