Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley may not be the best of pals right now as seen during the NBA’s Top 75 event but the two were close at a point during their lives. MJ and Chuck once appeared for an interview with Oprah Winfrey, which led to some of the most hilarious moments seen in any sports interview ever. Barkley’s vibrant storytelling and MJ’s charisma make for a good pairing and one particular story about MJ’s worldview stood out from the interview.
Oprah asked Charles about him saying that Michael Jordan is cheap, with Barkley saying he is, much to Jordan’s apparent chagrin. Chuck then went on to share a story from the time the two of them were around a homeless individual and Barkley tried to give them money, but MJ stopped him and explained his reasoning behind doing so.
Oprah Winfrey: “Now you do say though, that he is cheap. I’ve heard that.”
Charles Barkley: “Oh my god, I say that? Everybody says that.”
Michael Jordan: “Do you believe that?”
OW: “I don’t think you are, but I don’t know you.”
MJ: “The only reason he says I’m cheap is because when he gives something-“
OW: “He’s dressed too well to be cheap.”
MJ: “Thank you!”
CB: “He’s spent all his money on clothes.”
MJ: “How much you spend on yours?”
CB: “All I got is this cheap Jordan stuff.”
MJ: “You see, that’s what we do.”
CB: “Hey, Imma tell you this story.”
MJ: “Would you cut it out?”
CB: “I was gonna give a homeless guy some money one night and he (Jordan) smacks my hand. And he says, ‘If he can say, do you have any spare change? He can say, Welcome to McDonald’s.”
OW: “You know I always do that, cuz I don’t want them to come haunt me later, but I have friends who say that too. That your are perpetuating the problem. That if a guy can stand out there and do that, then that’s like earning a salary. So I like to think that there’s a reason behind that theory.”
CB: “Yeah, there is. I stopped one day and gave this guy a $100. He had a sign that said, “No lyin’ here folks, want money for alcohol. And I thought the sign was so funny I pulled over and gave him 100 dollars.”
CB: “But he (Jordan) and Tiger’s the same way, they both cheap.”
OW: “That’s hard to believe, though.”
MJ: “That’s Charles saying that. There’s no one else saying that. It’s just Charles.”
Barkley has always been known for his brutal honesty and it’s a lot of what makes him such an excellent television personality. The friendship he shared with Michael Jordan was quite close, considering how openly he was able to talk to MJ about things. The two may no longer see eye to eye but this interview will always be around for NBA fans to look back at and enjoy.
