If there’s one rule in the history of the NBA, it’s to never count out Michael Jordan. Whenever people did, whether it was players or analysts, MJ took it personally. One clear example of this came during the 1992 NBA postseason. And who was the unfortunate soul that motivated “His Airness” this time? Charles Barkley.
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Chuck made an appearance on Inside the NBA alongside Ernie Johnson during the 1992 playoffs, where he was asked to choose between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Chicago Bulls if the two teams met in that year’s Finals. The Round Mount of Rebounds picked Portland, implying that they had learned from their past mistakes.
Well, count this as one of Barkley’s first big misses as an analyst. The Bulls and Blazers did meet in the Finals, but Jordan led his side to a 4-2 victory, winning Chicago their second consecutive NBA championship.
Funnily enough, Ernie Johnson cut to a pre-recorded Jordan weighing in on Chuck’s insight, and while he didn’t hit him with the now-famous “I took that personally” line (from Netflix’s The Last Dance), he definitely said it without saying it.
“I know Charles. He’s trying to drive me crazy,” stated Jordan, who was 29 at the time. “He’s trying to make me competitive, and I appreciate that, Charles. What a great friend.” The answer got a laugh from the reporter interviewing Jordan, as well as Hudson, who chuckled next to Barkley.
Chuck knew he had most likely awoken a sleeping giant. “I love Michael like a brother,” he stated. However, he still picked the Trail Blazers over the Bulls. Good times indeed, before things turned sour between Jordan and Barkley.
The two are no longer friends. As is often the case in the high life of NBA legends, their relationship ultimately succumbed to the weight of honesty and pride, specifically when Barkley criticized Jordan’s leadership as an NBA executive with the Charlotte Hornets (formerly Bobcats). Chuck insisted it came from a place of love and concern, but Jordan, well, took it personally and cut ties.
Since then, the silence between the two Hall of Famers has been deafening. It’s a shame to see two legends who shared so much history become strangers. Their bond represented something rare: respect between titans who never needed to compete off the court. But sometimes, in the world of greatness, egos harden and fences don’t get mended.
In the end, Jordan and Barkley’s fallout reminds us that even the strongest friendships aren’t immune to sincerity. Oh well. At least we’ll always have the closing scene of Space Jam, where the two acknowledge one another as brothers.
