Charles Barkley recalls when Michael Jordan took exception to a Puerto Rican guard talking trash about him before the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
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There seems to be one common denominator – a golden rule if you like – about Michael Jordan – you never goad him. It is suicidal to try and motivate the GOAT, spurring him to greater heights than normal.
The best way to handle Mike at the time was to just let him do damage in a measured manner. If you said anything to him, for him or about him during the game, he was going to take note. And then would come the tongue out.
Charles Barkley knows quite a bit about how vengeful MJ can be, having been at the receiving end of his wrath on numerous occasions.
Charles Barkley narrates a story about Michael Jordan from the Dream Team
Barkley went golfing with Chuck Daly, MJ and David Robinson ahead of a game against Puerto Rico at the Tournament of the Americas. Chuck reveals the mentality that MJ had after playing 36 holes:
“So Michael comes back after playing another 18. We’re getting ready for the game, and Chuck says, ‘Charles, you got this guy. Scottie [Pippen], you got this guy, and then Michael says, ‘Nah, I got him.’”
“It was the point guard from Puerto Rico, and Chuck says, ‘well, he’s the point guard, Michael.’ Michael looks at him and says, ‘I said I got him. I read something he said about me in the newspaper, and I got him.’”
“And the whole room’s like, dude, you just played 36 holes of golf, and you’re going to guard the point guard? “Michael would not let this little dude dribble.”
“He had played 36 holes, and he’s talking to the guy the whole time like ‘hey, don’t you ever talk about me publicly again. I’m Michael Jordan, don’t you ever talk about me.”
