Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan were once very close friends. The two players grew close together after coming up in the NBA together, as part of the 1984 NBA Draft class, one of the best in history. But in recent years, they’ve had a pretty massive falling out, and aren’t on speaking terms.
But their relationship took a turn for the worse in their post-NBA careers. Michael Jordan became a majority owner for the Charlotte Bobcats in 2010. Barkley once openly criticized Michael Jordan for his poor decision-making with the franchise and said that he won’t be successful if he only keeps his friends around.
Jordan did not appreciate those comments from one of his closest friends and stopped speaking to Chuck. And now, one of Jordan’s close friends from the NBA has said that their relationship can never be fixed, and they will never be able to reconcile and become friends.
Charles Oakley, who was one of Jordan’s closest teammates during his career, recently spoke in an interview about their friendship. He said that Barkley crossed a line with Jordan, and no matter what he does, he and Jordan will not be friends. In fact, he threw shade at Barkley for trying to make friends at his job as a host for Inside The NBA on TNT (0:50 mark).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeJ98cBjftI
“Barkley, he can never get back in (Jordan’s inner circle). No matter what he do. He do jumping jack, push-ups, he can’t get back in the family, he out. He crossed the line, he crossed three lines, and he got a ticket for every line he crossed. He found some new friends. I guess on TNT and subway and safeway. He looking. But he outside he catching the train. He going to the mall. He’s looking for friends right now.”
Barkley and Jordan’s friendship survived a lot, including a very competitive stint in the NBA together, and an NBA Finals encounter. The two were very good friends and were there for each other. In fact, Charles Barkley once revealed how Michael Jordan picked him up on a private jet after he suffered a disappointing playoff loss with the Rockets.
We hope that these two can eventually reconcile. But these comments from Oakley aren’t different from what he has said in the past. On top of that, Oakley has said the same thing about the relationship between Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
