Former NBA star Charles Barkley wasn’t interested in attending Taylor Swift’s lavish wedding to NFL superstar Travis Kelce. While appearing on the “Unfiltered With Ricky Bo & Bill Colarulo” podcast, the 63-year-old revealed the exact reason he declined the invitation to the ceremony, which reportedly drew over 1,000 guests, including a flock of major A-listers.
Charles Barkley DECLINED An Invite To Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Wedding
📸Jason Miller/Getty Images pic.twitter.com/7fbNGbJDfY
— Unfiltered With Ricky Bo & Bill Colarulo (@975Unfiltered) July 7, 2026
Barkley, who played professional basketball for the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, and Houston Rockets, said that while he was invited to Swift and Kelce’s special day, he declined for a specific reason.
According to 11x All-Star, he doesn’t attend “weddings or funerals.”
And that’s not all he had to say about the power couple’s big day. He also revealed that he politely declined the invite because he “thought it was gonna be a crap show.”
There’s More Behind Barkley’s Decision To Decline Taylor Swift’s Wedding Invitation
Barkley doesn’t want people to get it twisted, though. He said he has much love and respect for Kelce and his brother, former NFL player Jason Kelce. Despite their rapport, the “Inside the NBA” host believed it was best for him to sit out this event.
When he has time to himself, Barkley said he enjoys relaxing and playing golf. “I don’t wanna dress up and all that other stuff,” he said. “But I appreciate the invitation; it was pretty special.”
Barkley Previously Defended Taylor Swift Against ‘Losers’ Who Were Hating On The Pop Star
In February 2024, Barkley made headlines when he defended Swift against criticism that the NFL was spending too much time promoting her during Kansas City Chiefs games. According to The Hill, right-wing media personalities theorized that the professional football league was hoping to raise the icon’s star so that she could endorse former President Joe Biden.
“If you’re screaming at Taylor Swift saying she ruined … you’re just a loser. You’re just a loser or a jack*ss,” Barkley said on his previous CNN show, “King Charles,” which he hosted with Gayle King. “You can be A or B. One of the two.”
Kelce also broke his silence on the backlash his then-girlfriend was receiving, calling the reaction “crazy” before saying he was “having fun” with his new boo. “And you know what, we’re slowly reeling ’em in. They’re just—they’re fighting it right now,” he said, according to Marie Claire.
Kelce went on to say how thankful he was for Swift’s public support, calling it a “beautiful thing,” before adding that Swift’s appearance at Arrowhead Stadium is nothing more than a couple “supporting each other and having fun with it.”
He added, “And sure enough, I love it when Taylor comes and supports me, and enjoys the game with the fam and friends. It’s been nothing but just a wonderful year, man.”
Ryan Seacrest Also Had To Say No To Attending Swift And Kelce’s New York City Wedding
Swift and Kelce were married on July 3, 2026, at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, according to a previous report from The Blast. The ceremony featured over 1,000 guests, including Jay-Z, Bradley Cooper, Ed Sheeran, Cooper Kupp, Kareem Hunt, and more. The wedding was officiated by comedian Adam Sandler.
The Blast also reported on Ryan Seacrest’s reason for turning down Swift and Kelce’s invitation. “I RSVP’d to go, and then Disney hired me to do the Fourth of July 250 special on the 3rd and the 4th, so I had to cancel,” the “American Idol” legend said on an episode of his radio show, “Ryan Seacrest Live.”
Seacrest Previously RSVP’d ‘Yes’ To The Wedding
Later in the show, Seacrest said he had previously RSVP’d yes to the wedding but had to change it at the last minute because of work. And to make matters worse, the “Wheel of Fortune” personality said he ran into Swift and Kelce in person after his initial response, telling them he was excited to attend the ceremony.
As he put it, though, there was nothing he could do about the schedule change, noting that he’s contractually bound to host different events for the network when they call on him. “It’s part of my job at Disney to do these things,” he said.