Charles Barkley Agonized Over Every Auburn Possession During Final Four

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Charles Barkley isn't shy about his fandom. On Saturday, he was just like any Auburn alum watching their team at the Final Four. As the Tigers got out to a 46-38 league at the half, Barkley was living and dying with every possession from the CBS broadcast desk, going through the same emotions as the swarm of Auburn fans that surrounded him.
He pumped his fist after a Tigers basket, which the CBS camera crew caught and shared video of during the halftime report.
"I'm living right now," Barkley said after watching his own reaction. "I ain't going to lie, I'm living."
Charles Barkley certainly liked that first half from Auburn. 🏀🎙️ pic.twitter.com/s8huoQPE7E
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 5, 2025
Here's another angle of Barkley going through it during the first half from The Athletic's Sergio Gonzalez:
Here’s Charles Barkley watching his Auburn Tigers and suffering every possession like just another fan pic.twitter.com/mlVej9bIpT
— Sergio Gonzalez (@thatgonzalez) April 5, 2025
Barkley is just another speck in the sea of Auburn fans—he just has a slightly better view and a chair that's a bit more comfortable. He had an appropriate three-word message before the game as the CBS crew made their predictions, too.
Barkley undoubtedly hopes his Tigers can hold on in the second half and advance to Monday night's national title game, where they would play the winner of Saturday’s late game between Duke and Houston.
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Blake Silverman is a writer at Sports Illustrated, primarily covering the NBA and WNBA. Before joining SI in November 2024 as a breaking/trending news writer, he covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball for numerous sites, including Winsidr, SB Nation and A10Talk. He’s an alum of both Michigan State and St. Bonaventure University, receiving a master’s degree from the Bonnies’ sports journalism program. Outside of work, he’s a husband, father, yogi and fairly mediocre tennis player who’s open to any tips on how to play defense in EA Sports College Football.