Sen. Elizabeth Warren ran into Hall of Fame basketball player Charles Barkley after the Democratic debate – and perhaps not for the first time.

Following her post-debate interview in the CNN spin room, Warren greeted Barkley, now a basketball analyst for TNT, who had traveled to Detroit to see the debates in person.

It’s 12:21am and ⁦@ewarren⁩ is still in the spin room meeting Sir Charles pic.twitter.com/UHBnmruDZe — Kristen Orthman (@KristenOrthman) July 31, 2019

“Charles Barkley is the best,” the Massachusetts senator told 7 News afterward, adding that she talked to the former NBA player about “getting together later,” though she didn’t elaborate on their potential plans.

Kristen Orthman, the communications director for Warren’s campaign, tweeted that Warren and Barkley “apparently knew each other” back when Warren, a former law school professor, lived in Philadelphia. Barkley played for the 76ers from 1984 to 1992, while Warren taught at the University of Pennsylvania Law School from 1987 to 1995. Orthman told Boston.com that they lived close to each other during their time in the city, but wasn’t sure if they had formally met.


“I’m a real fan girl,” Warren told 7 News.

We saw @ewarren talking to Charles Barkley at the democratic debate in Detroit. So our @dhausleon7 asked her about their conversation. pic.twitter.com/5nNVFAyrnY — Brandon Stokes (@brandonrstokes) July 31, 2019

Apparently, the feeling is mutual — or at least it was ahead of the last election.

In 2015, Barkley said he was considering switching parties to vote for Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich, but wished Warren or Julian Castro, the former San Antonio mayor and housing secretary, would enter the race.

“Ninety-nine percent of the time I vote Democrat, but there’s not a Democrat in the race that I like,” Barkley said at the time. “I would like to see Elizabeth Warren or the mayor of San Antonio. Those are the only two Democrats that I would vote for.”

Of course, Warren and Castro are both running this cycle. Barkley told The New York Times after Tuesday night’s debate that he came to Detroit to specifically to see Castro (who debates Wednesday) and South Bend, Indiana Mayor Peter Buttigieg, who he said was “fantastic.”

Barkley told reporters that Castro and Buttigieg were currently his top two choices, though he hadn’t made a formal choice. He also reiterated his long-standing criticism that politicians, including Democrats, have taken black voters “for granted.”

Charles Barkley came into the spin room for a bit.

He likes Julián Castro.

Said both parties take black voters for granted. pic.twitter.com/Bxr8RUDUNU — Alex Thompson (@AlxThomp) July 30, 2019

Still, he was complimentary of the performances by Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders. Both candidates spent much of the debate defending their progressive agendas against attacks from more moderate candidates.


“I tell you, Bernie Sanders, he’s a live wire, him and Elizabeth Warren,” Barkley told the Times. “They’ve got great charisma. But like I say, it’s just too many people right now. You can’t ask a question and get a definite answer.”