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Charles Barkley Weighs In on Russell Wilson 'Black Enough' Controversy

NBA Hall of Famer calls topic "dirty little secret" in African-American community.

Never one to shy away and always opinionated, Charles Barkley didn't hesitate to offer his thoughts about the players from the Seattle Seahawks allegedly saying that quarterback Russell Wilson isn't "Black enough."

Talking to Sports Illustrated on Wednesday, Sir Charles said the very notion about not being 'black enough' is totally off.

"Unless you are a thug or have a criminal record or you are just a jackass, some black people don’t think you are black enough," Barkley told SI. "It’s a dirty little secret in our community. I want black kids to be strong and intelligent. We’re telling kids if you are doing good in schools, you are acting white. If you speak intelligently, then you are acting white. That is bulls**t. It’s one of the reasons we as a group struggle. We don’t have great respect for each other."

Barkley added that the issue about not being black enough has long plagued the African-American community way before the Wilson story became national two weeks back.

"Listen, man, you don’t have to be a thug or unintelligent," Barkley added. "You are supposed to do great academically. You are supposed to speak correctly. You don’t have to have street cred. I tell people we are the only group where if you have a criminal record it makes you more black. That’s ridiculous...Russell Wilson was black enough last year when they were winning. Now they are losing and Russell Wilson is not black enough. I don’t think he changed in the last six months."

Some critics believed a divided Seahawks locker room due to alleged issues with Wilson led to the team trading wide receiver Percy Harvin to the New York Jets two weeks ago.

Watch Kevin Hart in a new episode of Real Husbands of Hollywood every Tuesday, 10P/9C. 

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(Photos from Left: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images, Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Sports Spectacular)

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