As two of the best players of their era, it’s no surprise that Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley met in the NBA Finals. The year was 1993 when the Phoenix Suns won the West in their very first year with Barkley.
But even before that series, Chuck was making it a point to stick it to his Chicago rival any chance he got.
Leading up to the 1992 Finals, for example, Barkley sided against Jordan to win the series, picking the Portland Trail Blazers to take the title instead. The clip is from 1992 and includes Chuck sitting with Ernie Johnson in one of his first on-air guest appearances. After discussing his future with the Philadelphia 76ers (who traded him one month after this video was shot) Barkley was shown Jordan’s classic and legendary reaction to being picked to lose.
And yes, MJ’s response is exactly how you imagined it.
“I know Charles is trying to drive me crazy. He’s trying to make me competitive, and I appreciate that Charles, what a great friend.”
Instead of backing down from his pick, Chuck decided to double down.
“I love Michael like a brother, I love Karl Malone like a brother. Michael’s got one, my goal would be to see Karl get one but I think Portland has learned from their past mistakes.”
The Bulls and Blazers did meet up in the Finals that year, but it didn’t go as Barkley predicted. Not only did the Bulls win the series in 6 games, but Jordan went absolutely bonkers on the court, finishing with averages of 35.8 points, 6.5 assists, and 4.8 rebounds. It would be the second of six championship wins for MJ and his Bulls in that decade.
As for Chuck and his own battle against Jordan, he ended up losing to the same Bulls squad that beat the Blazers in ’92. Unfortunately, it was the last time he ever got the chance to upstage the GOAT as he would never again return to that stage of the postseason.
Still, one time was enough for Barkley to learn the hard way that you don’t bet against Michael Jeffrey Jordan.
