“He smacked my hand!” Charles Barkley once EXPOSED Michael Jordan’s feelings towards homeless people on national television

Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan were part of the most talented NBA Draft in NBA history, but are no longer the close friends they once were.

“He smacked my hand!” Charles Barkley once EXPOSED Michael Jordan’s feelings towards homeless people on national television

Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan (Left) and Phoenix Suns’ Charles Barkley (Right) (via Open Source/X)

United in the 1984 NBA Draft, Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan entered the NBA together, a draft widely regarded by analysts as one of the greatest, if not the absolute greatest, in NBA history. Their partnership extended to the 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball team, affectionately called the “Dream Team,” where they showcased their collective brilliance on the international stage.

Appearing on the widely watched American daytime talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, in 2005, the dynamic duo, Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan, engaged in lively banter about each other’s dressing and shared stories with host Oprah Winfrey.

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Charles Barkley “the Round Mound of Rebound” shared a story of an encounter he and Michael Jordan had with a homeless man.

I was going to give a homeless man some money one night and he (Michael Jordan) smacked my hand. And he said, if he can say ‘can I have some spare change, he can say welcome to McDonald’s, can I help you please?

https://youtube.com/shorts/7GpYQCMG1go?si=T8L-WVMscqawkaY9

Regrettably, Barkley and Jordan’s once-close relationship has waned, reportedly due to Barkley’s remarks concerning Jordan’s management of the Charlotte Hornets. Recognized for his controversial and outspoken nature, Barkley, who was a dominant force in basketball history, had previously questioned Jordan’s tenure as the President of the Hornets, something MJ did not like.

Michael Jordan was impressed by Charles Barkley’s “I’m not a role model” comment

Charles Barkley is known for being blunt and outspoken when expressing his views. This trait endeared him to the Chicago Bulls legend, Michael Jordan who made this known in a 2007 interview with GQ.

Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley
Hall of Famers Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley (via Open Source/X)

Jordan said:

For instance, when he came out and said, “I’m not a role model.” I realized we’re really not. We assume that responsibility because of the respect we’re given. But we can’t tell these kids they can be us. When he first came out with that, I was like, “Wow, he’s right.”

MJ wasn’t perfect as he once struggled with a gambling addiction. As he mentioned in his documentary, The Last Dance:

If I had a chance to do it all over again, I would never want to be considered a role model. It’s like a game that’s stacked against me.

As an integral part of popularizing the game of basketball, he has become a global cultural icon and is widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time.

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