Charles Barkley Reveals His Suns’ Teammates’ Reaction When He Claimed to Be on Michael Jordan’s Level

Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan (Image Source: BRIAN BAHR/AFP via Getty Images)

Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan’s friendship is no secret to anyone who has heard both NBA legends’ names. The off-court friends often turned into the fiercest of rivals on the court during their heydays. While Jordan won the coveted prize of the NBA 6 times, Barkley had no such luck which bothers him to this day. 

Back in 1992, when Chuck made his move from the Sixers to the Suns, he had one goal in mind and that was to win the NBA championship. On Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay Podcast, Barkley revealed what he told his new teammates to make his intentions clear. “I say, ‘We’re going to play the Bulls for the championship. Michael Jordan just has some more help. I’m just as good as him.’ They look at me like I’m crazy,” Barkley told the NFL legend.

Though his comments were met with amusement from his teammates back then, the Suns ran riot in the Western Conference. The forward proved his worth to his teammates by winning the regular season MVP award and leading the franchise to the NBA Finals.

In the finals, it was a different story as an upset Michael Jordan waited for them to show everyone why he was the best player in the world.

Charles Barkley Winning MVP Upset Michael Jordan

In the “Last Dance” documentary, Michael Jordan revealed that he was upset when Charles Barkley won the NBA MVP ahead of him. Not just that, Jordan came third behind Barkley and Hakeem Olajuwon.

His Airness said, “I was a little bit upset that I didn’t get the MVP that year and they gave it to Charles Barkley, but with that said, okay fine. You can have that. I’m gonna get this.” By this MJ meant the Championship and he did exactly the same. The Bulls beat the Suns 4-2 in the 1993 NBA Finals to clinch a third title in a row.

Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan both went on to develop mutual respect and a friendship in the years following, but that crumbled after Barkley criticized Jordan. When the TNT analyst gave his critical opinion of his friend’s management of the Charlotte Hornets, MJ reportedly broke their friendship.

Despite the bitter end to their friendship, during the episode of Club Shay Shay Podcast, Barkley credited Jordan for paving the way for athletes to have shoe deals and commercials, a way of acknowledgement of Jordan’s GOAT status.