The friendship between Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley has yielded us several moments of comic relief. Chuck talks about one of these.
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Jordan and Barkley were fast friends right from the time they were drafted in 1984. They obviously competed with each other in the playoffs several times, but Jordan always had the upper hand.
Michael Jordan eliminated 20 Hall of Famers from the playoffs, but his highest overall career scoring average came against Barkley. At 35.8 points per game in 55 matchups through regular season and postseason, MJ definitely gave Chuck’s teams the business.
Michael Jordan once slyly tricked Charles Barkley with gifts
According to Johnny Bach, an assistant coach with the Chicago Bulls, MJ once softened up Chuck with an expensive gift. This happened during the 1993 NBA Finals – their final playoff faceoff:
“The day before game 4 of the Bulls Suns finals with the Bulls leading the series 2-1. Michael and Charles Barkley went golfing. They played 48 holes of golf. And Michael bought Charles a $20,000 diamond earring.”
Johnny asked MJ, “what did you do all that for?” Michael responded, “He won’t get in my way the rest of the series, what’s $20,000 to me? Charles thinks we’re great friends. I hate that fat f**k.” Jordan dropped 55 in game 4 and Barkley never touched him once.”
Chuck had to get out of Jordan’s way on the golf course with $300,000 on the line
Chuck once appeared on The Dan Patrick Show back in 2017. Barkley talked about how Jordan’s incurable competitive edge led to him betting big bucks on golf:
“We’d be playing golf with certain people, and we’d be playing for a couple of hundred dollars a hole—nothing big. And then he’d be playing some guy for like $100,000. He’s like, ‘Charles pick that up.’ I’m like, ‘This putt is for $200.’”
MJ: “Pick that up, Charles! Get out of my way; you’re in my line!”
Chuck: “How much is that putt for?”
Jordan informed Barkley he had $300,000 on the line. It didn’t take long for the big man to move his feet out of his peer’s path to a lucrative payday.
“Let me get out of your line.” Barkley told Jordan.
