Former NBA MVP Charles Barkley was aiming for Canadians who have been critical of the NHL legend Wayne Gretzky in recent weeks.
Gretzky has been investigated by Canadians for his friendship with President Donald Trump, and Hockey Great’s wife has said the criticism left Gretzky “The Heart Bridge.”
Barkley called these Canadians “fools.”
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Wayne Gretzky arrives at the inauguration ceremony before Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States in Washington, DC, January 20, 2025. (Saul Loeb/Pool via Imag images)
“You got them fooled up in Canada and gave ‘the big’ a hard time,” Barkley said during a segment on Thursday’s “Inside the NBA.” “Wayne Gretzky is the biggest hockey player ever. He’s the best person.”
Trump has become one of the most controversial figures in Canada since returning to Embed in January after suggesting that the country would become the 51 of America. State and threatens to impose tariffs on Canadian imports to the United States
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Gretzky attended a victory party after Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
“Fools Up in Canada gave him a hard time because of the tariff with Trump and everything,” Barkley said. “He has nothing to do with it. He played hockey. He is the biggest hockey player ever. He got no control over what these fools are doing here in our government.”
Center Wayne Gretzky from New York Rangers in action during a first name skate before the start of Rangers’ games with Florida Panthers in the Miami Arena in Miami, Fla., October 8, 1996. (Zoran Milich/Allsport)
Trump has said he asked Gretzky to become the next “Governor of Canada” after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he would resign. But after Gretzky expressed support to “Canada, who remains a separate country, rather than becoming a loved and beautiful 51st state,” Trump declared Gretzky a “Free Agent.”
“I don’t want anyone in Canada to say anything bad about him. He supports Canada as it is that he should, even though it is not almost as good as it can be as part of the largest and most powerful country in the world, The Good Ole ‘US!” Trump wrote in a truth social post.
Gretzky’s friendship and interaction with Trump during the controversy got a hard setback against the hockey legend of Canadians, though he has been universally loved in the country since his gaming career.
New York Rangers’ Wayne Gretzky celebrates a goal in the third period of a game against Dallas Stars in Dallas November 7, 1997. (AP Photo/LM OTERO, File)
In response, Colleague Canadian Hockey -legend Bobby Orr a column in Toronto Sun To express disappointment when he read criticism of Gretzky.
“How unclear can people be when someone who has given so much time and effort to Canadian hockey is treated in such a way,” ORR’s column said. “Listen, we all have our personal convictions as they relate to things like religion and politics. Wayne respects your right to such beliefs – why can’t you respect his?”
Gretzky’s wife, Janet Gretzky, then shared Orr’s pillar on social media, indicating that the criticism had “broken his heart.”
“Thank you Mr. Bobby Orr. Your words mean the world to Wayne and his family, I have never met anyone who is more proud to be Canadian, and it has broken his heart to read and see the average comments … He would do something to make Canadians proud, with his love for hockey and his country,” Janet wrote in an Instagram post Sharing of Orr’s column.
