During the course of the weekend, the NBA staged its All-Star festivities in Salt Lake City, where Team Giannis defeated Team LeBron. On the court, there was a lot of action, but Shaq and Barkley seemed to hint that there wasn’t much going on off the court. Shaq and Charles Barkley did not like their stay in Salt Lake City, and a senator from Utah did not like their comments regarding this.
“These people are going to heaven,” Barkley said during the game’s broadcast. “Ain’t nothing to do in this boring ass city.”
Shaq seemed to agree.
“I never ate so much room service in my life,” the NBA Hall of Famer replied.
Chuck on SLC: "These people going to heaven. Ain't nothing to do in this boring-ass city."
Shaq: "I never ate so much room service in my life."pic.twitter.com/lFRE0aTyrq
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) February 20, 2023
“Can’t smoke, can’t drink,” Barkley added. “These people are going to heaven.”
Utah state senator Nate Blouin, a Democrat who represents Salt Lake City, took offense to their comments, firing off a tweet of his own.
“Super disappointing take. Do better @SHAQ and Charles! Bet y’all were just cooped up in the all-star VIP areas and didn’t even get into the city, and are just perpetuating a reputation we’re working hard to change,” Blouin tweeted.
Another tweet from Blouin included a link to an article that claimed that additional bar licenses will be granted in Utah in the upcoming year, but the post also noted that some high-ABV cocktails would be taken off the shelf.
Utah, one of the states with the strictest laws on alcohol and partying, hosted the All-Star Weekend for the second time after serving as the host in 1993. The state’s previous regulation only permitted brewers to sell beer that had 3.2 percent alcohol by volume.
Shaq and Barkley may not have had much to do even if they did “get into the city,” as per Senator Blouin’s suggestion. The first place that comes to mind when thinking of a night out on the town or a place that fosters NBA culture is probably not Salt Lake City, or even Utah, in general.
Have you ever been to Salt Lake City? Don’t forget to share your experience with us in the comment.
