Michael Jordan is undoubtedly one of the greatest players of all time, but heading into the 1984 NBA Draft, not many thought so. His Airness was selected 3rd overall by the Chicago Bulls. Selected behind Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie, expectations weren’t too high for MJ. He was a good player, but nobody believed he would go on to become the GOAT. Even Charles Barkley, who was selected fifth in the same draft told Charlie Rose that Jordan himself couldn’t have predicted his meteoric rise.
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Sir Charles made these remarks back in 1993, around the time Jordan announced his first retirement. While making this statement, he also commented on the possibility of MJ returning to the NBA. He believed there was little to no chance after the then-three-time NBA Champion left so abruptly. Fortunately, he was wrong, seeing as he returned just two years later and went on to win another three championships.
Charles Barkley once claimed that even Michael Jordan himself didn’t expect to be that good
In 1993, Charles Barkley had an interview with Charlie Rose. As the interview ran its course, the two at some point started talking about the 1984 NBA Draft. The draft featured both him and arguably the greatest player ever, Michael Jordan. It was here, that Chuck made an interesting statement.
He claimed that while all the players in the draft were good, nobody expected MJ to reach the heights he did. After all, the draft was stacked. Jordan and Barkley aside, the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon, John Stockton, and Alvin Robertson all came from the 1984 class. So, for Jordan to leave such a lasting mark on the NBA is incredible.
The Round Mound of Rebound even claimed the idea that anyone knew Jordan was going to be special before he was drafted is a “myth”. And, most of all, he believes that even Jordan himself didn’t know he would reach such levels of greatness.
Barkley: “So we all were good players, but nobody– first of all, nobody ever expected Michael Jordan to be Michael Jordan. If anybody tells you that, it’s a myth.”
Rose: “Did Michael Jordan expect that?”
Barkley: “I don’t think so.”
There can be no denying that Jordan’s career was nothing short of exemplary. Not only did he win six NBA Championships, but he also has five MVPs, and a Defensive Player of the Year award to his name. Add that to the host of other records he’s broken and accolades he’s received, and the term GOAT is really the only term you can use to describe him.
Chuck, who was also drafted in the same years as Jordan became a good friend of the Bulls legend despite his competitive nature. However, that changed after their retirement, where Jordan went on to own an NBA team and Chuck continued his basketball career as an analyst.
Chuck saw his friendship with MJ end in 2010
Barkley and Jordan had a close relationship during their playing days that saw them hang out a lot. Whether it was doing an interview together on the Oprah Winfrey Show or just hitting up the golf courses for a few rounds. In many ways, it almost seemed as though they were best friends.
However, their friendship ended on a sour note back in the 2010s. Still the owner of the Charlotte Hornets at the time, Jordan wasn’t doing too well. His management of the Hornets had not delivered results. As such, being an NBA analyst, Chuck gave Jordan the cold hard truth. He claimed that MJ needed to stop surrounding himself with “Yes Men” if he wanted to succeed.
Safe to say, that didn’t sit well with His Airness, who as history has shown does not like being criticized. After that, their friendship suffered, to the point where the two aren’t even on speaking terms. Nevertheless, Barkley is hopeful that someday, the two can mend their relationship.
