Charles Barkley-Michael Jordan Feud Over With Hall of Famers Set to Bond Over Golf

Charles Barkley provided an update on his relationship with Michael Jordan.

Charles Barkley-Michael Jordan Feud Over With Hall of Famers Set to Bond Over Golf

Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan have resolved their long-standing feud and plan to play golf together after the NBA season.
  • Barkley publicly criticized Jordan's performance as an NBA executive, which strained their friendship since 2012.
  • Despite their differences, Barkley has consistently supported Jordan in the GOAT debate throughout their relationship.

It looks like the Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan feud has finally come to an end. The two former superstars and Hall of Famers were once the best of friends and inseparable. They developed a strong bond during their time in the NBA. However, things took a turn in the early 2010s when Barkley publicly criticized the NBA icon for doing a poor job as the majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets.

Barkley made an appearance on Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo and provided the latest update on their relationship.

We had a conversation. We’re going to get together and play golf as soon as basketball is over. We’re not like Prince William and Prince Harry. We always have a lot of love for each other. But we talked in the last 72 hours, we just decided to get together and play golf as soon as basketball is over.

Charles Barkley on Mad Dog Unleashed 

Charles Barkley has never been the type to mince his words regarding sports or even political matters. He does not shy away from speaking his mind and having controversial takes, even if he has to face the repercussions for it.

That straightforward nature of Barkley strained his relationship with Michael Jordan. Despite not being on talking terms, Barkley has always been on team Jordan in the GOAT debate.

Jordan generally stays away from the public eye. In the offseason, NBC announced that Jordan would be joining the broadcasting team as a special contributor to NBC Sports. However, it has been a disappointment, and Barkley even criticized his role for not giving enough to the fans.

Charles Barkley’s constructive criticism did not go down well with Michael Jordan

The former MVPs were both drafted in the 1984 NBA draft. Michael Jordan was picked by the Chicago Bulls as the third overall pick, while Charles Barkley was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers as the fifth pick. Both players went on to cement their legacies in the NBA, with Jordan arguably cementing himself as the greatest ever.

Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan in the 1993 NBA Finals
Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan in the 1993 NBA Finals (Image via Open Source/X)

They became friends upon entering the NBA, but formed a strong bond in the 90s when they represented Team USA in the 1992 Olympics. They were a part of the “Dream Team” and went on to win a gold medal together. The two of them used to hit the casinos together and gamble hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single night.

Their relationship broke down in 2012 when Barkley questioned Jordan and the team around him when evaluating his friend’s performance in the Charlotte Hornets’ (known as Charlotte Bobcats then) front office. He believed the six-time champion failed as an NBA executive. Jordan wasn’t happy with Barkley’s criticism on ESPN Chicago’s Waddle & Silvy Show. The interview strained their relationship ever since.

Charles Barkley takes shots at the Los Angeles Clippers

The 2025-26 campaign has been a season of two halves for the Los Angeles Clippers. They struggled to even find a win till the end of December as they languished at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. However, since the turn of the year, they boasted one of the best records in the league and climbed to ninth place.

A ninth-place finish secured them a place in the Play-In Tournament. Unfortunately, their season ended with a 126-121 loss to the Golden State Warriors. After their loss, Charles Barkley did not hesitate to take shots at the organization.

I’ve been poor, I’ve been rich, I’ve been fat, I’ve been skinny, I’ve been old, I’ve been in the Hall of Fame and one thing I can always tell you,the Clippers have always sucked.

Charles Barkley on the Clippers

Barkley will be pleased that his favorite team, the Phoenix Suns, is through to the playoffs after a convincing victory over the Warriors. They will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.

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