Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan used to be really close. They went from being fierce on-court competitors to golf buddies who were publicly loyal to each other for years. However, after Chuck criticized the way MJ ran the Charlotte Hornets, their relationship fell apart. Now, Barkley is watching his former buddy enter the NBA TV space—an area he has ruled for over two decades.
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Barkley couldn’t hide his confusion after Jordan was announced as a new member of NBC’s panel last week. He admitted he had no idea what the six-time NBA champ’s role would be. More importantly, he’s not even convinced that Jordan will do much.
Jordan will be part of the NBA’s coverage starting from the 2025–26 season, but aside from being labeled a “special contributor,” no specific details about his role have been revealed. There’s speculation that it could involve a pre-recorded segment, but for now, that’s just a rumor.
Barkley, meanwhile, isn’t being petty. He just doesn’t see the vision.
During a recent appearance on Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, the former Phoenix Suns’ star said, “I have no idea what Michael is going to do. I don’t think he’s gonna do a lot.” He revealed that he was “100% shocked” when he found out that the Bulls legend was joining NBC.
Even NBC broadcaster Mike Tirico told Dan Patrick that he doesn’t know much about Jordan’s new role beyond the title. Still, he expressed excitement and said he’s looking forward to what Jordan brings.
The big reveal is still a while away. In the meantime, according to one of the co-hosts on the podcast, Jordan has reportedly shut down his Grove XXIII golf course for the next eight months. With more free time on his hands, he just might use it to develop something solid for his new role.
Barkley, on the other hand, believes Grove XXIII was shut down for a different reason. He said, “He’s probably trying to fix the Grove… He made the Grove where you had to be able to hit the ball left or right. He’s probably trying to fix the fairways, so people who play a hook can play there.”
Jordan’s golf course was built to match his playing style. But in doing so, it became notoriously difficult for others—even professional golfers. They don’t call it ‘Slaughterhouse XXIII’ for nothing.
According to Rickie Fowler, the fairways at Grove XXIII are designed to give short hitters like Jordan a clear advantage. He told Golf.com, “The shorter you hit it, the wider it is. He can basically hit driver on all the par 4s and 5s. If I want to hit driver, I have to place it into a tighter spot.”
This isn’t unusual—many golfers design courses around their strengths. But the way he designed his course also showed that Jordan’s competitive fire hadn’t dimmed, even in retirement.
