Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley were two of the best players in NBA history, and their rivalry was always fierce. They are also fierce competitors and are always at each other’s throats. Charles Barkley also complained to the referees, accusing them of fouling Jordan too easily, and Jordan told him there was nothing he could do to stop him.
Such an incident occurred during the Chicago Bulls’ second three-peat (1996-1998), when Barkley was playing for the Houston Rockets. He mocked the referee for not fouling Jordan.
“It’s not fair. It’s a foul. I know he’s Michael Jordan. Every time he raises his voice to all of you, you’re going to call him,” Barkley told the referees.
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The two legends were best friends at the time, despite their on-field bickering and trash-talking. They remained friends for several years, but that relationship ended a decade ago after Charles Barkley made some public comments about Jordan’s tenure as owner of the Charlotte Hornets.
The two have not spoken since and have only seen each other at a few public NBA events.
Charles Barkley explains why his friendship with Michael Jordan ended
Charles Barkley has spoken multiple times about his friendship with Michael Jordan and why it ended, noting that the all-time great didn’t like what Barkley said about him.
Buckley told 60 Minutes’ Jon Wertheim:
#advanceampads2# #advanceampads3#Charles Barkley elaborated on his views in an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traner:
#advanceampads4# #advanceampads5# #advanceampads6#Jordan is a six-time champion and Finals MVP, while Barkley never won an NBA championship despite being the NBA MVP in 1993. The two were part of a U.S. team that dominated the 1992 Olympics and won the gold medal, earning it the nickname the “Dream Team.”