Charles Barkley Dismisses Michael Jordan’s Omega Psi Phi Connection While Disrespecting Shaquille O’Neal For Joining “Loser” Fraternity

Not everybody is made for the party life. Charles Barkley was a simple man who liked to ball and take it easy. What he was not was a frat boy. In fact, Chuck had a disdain for fraternity life — so much so that the 11-time All-Star recently reprimanded his good friend Shaquille O’Neal on national TV after The Diesel shouted out the Omega Psi Phi fraternity house on Inside the NBA.

Shaq isn’t the only Omega Psi Phi alumna. Michael Jordan was also a part of the famed fraternity during his college days at the University of North Carolina. Both NBA legends were referred to as “Ques,” a nickname for members of the African-American Greek house. O’Neal joined the group during his days at LSU, but was rocking an Alabama State University lettered cardigan on this recent broadcast.

Chuck was not impressed by Shaq’s “Ques” status, which led to a funny exchange between the longtime friends and on-screen rivals. “You wouldn’t know nothing about that,” joked Shaq, leading Chuck to get very serious for a moment. “I don’t want to be in no fraternity. A bunch of damn loser dudes getting together all the time,” barked the 62-year-old.

Kenny jumped in and mentioned all the good things that a fraternity does, like help clean the community and organizing events. Shaq then reminded the boys that MJ was a “Ques” as well, aiming that information right at Barkley. “Man Michael ain’t wasting time with no fraternity,” said Chuck. “He’s a Ques,” responded Kenny. “He might be but he ain’t doing nothing with them bums.”

As funny as it was hearing Barkley call frat boys bums, it wasn’t half as funny as what Kenny hit Chuck with next. “You have to have a grade point average to get in,” he said over laughter. But Barkley was quick to fire back at the burn. “I averaged 24% rebounding that’s my grade point average.”

There is a reason that Chuck is so anti-fraternity — and it is no laughing matter.

Barkley was angered after a 22-year-old was killed in a fraternity ritual

Back in 2022, Caleb Wilson, a 22-year-old student at Southern University and A&M College, passed away after a fraternity hazing ritual went wrong. The incident was mainstream news, leading Barkley to rant about it on an episode of The Steam Room during that year. Suffice to say, he was not happy.

“You know I hate fraternities because I just think who wants a bunch of dudes hanging together if you can’t get real friends?” Barkley said. “So I’m anti-fraternity.”

While Barkley’s past comments were similar to his ones on Inside the NBA, it doesn’t tell the whole story. He also preached about how young men risk their lives doing silly things like this for a fraternity that doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of life.

Chuck might have built a reputation for taking irregular stances on everyday life, including his basketball analysis. However, he’s entirely right about this. Fraternity life is about brotherhood and building relationships. But it does see young men at times nearly ruin their lives to be accepted. Wilson should still be alive today. It’s a damn shame that he’s not.

This isn’t just another case of Chuck hating. He doesn’t want to see young men throw away their lives.