Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan used to be best friends until a comment for Chuck on TV about MJ being a bad owner severed the friendship forever.
There was a time when both players would be highly praiseful of the other. Jordan showed that in a retrospective documentary on Charles Barkley, where spoke about the time Barkley tried guarding him and made him pass the ball away.
“One moment that I can pick with Charles, we were playing Philly in the playoffs. I guess I got into a hot rhythm and had 40 points and Charles is yelling ‘who’s gonna guard this guy? Someone’s gotta guard this guy. All right, I’ll guard this guy.’ So, we got into a switch. Charles jumps out and guards me. I’ve never known Charles as a defensive stopper, so the first thing he does is break into a defensive position.
“Everything looked technically right. And I just laughed. ‘When the hell did you start playing defense? And who taught you how to get into a defensive stance?’ I had to pass it, but that’s the type of guy he was. He’d take on the challenge even though he was not up to the challenge. He didn’t care.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uofD7XJAqog
The Bulls easily won this series, losing just 1-game in the series. This was the 1992 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, where Jordan averaged 33.4 points to impose his will over Barkley.
Barkley And Jordan In The 1993 NBA Finals
Charles Barkley remained in the NBA for a while after his 1984 debut. He left the 76ers and was traded to the Suns, where Barkley unlocked a new version of himself. He led the Suns to the NBA Finals in 1993 and was named league MVP. Sadly, Michael Jordan would ruin the party and stop the Suns from winning their first-ever championship.
Barkley averaged 27.3 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in the 1993 Finals in the Suns’ loss. It was a 6-game series, and Barkley even notched a triple-double in the contest. Jordan, on the other hand, was hell-bent on winning a title. He averaged 41.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists. He even had a 55-point Finals game in this series.
Their rivalry may have ultimately extinguished the flames of their friendship. Hopefully, the pair can eventually reunite and discuss their careers with the reverence and admiration it deserves.
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