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"Michael Jordan's just better than me because he's got better players. I'm playing with bums in Philly" - Charles Barkley thought he was better than MJ
Charles Barkley was an extremely talented player who was never short on confidence when he joined the Phoenix Suns in 1992 via trade from Philadelphia. Back then, Barkley thought he was the best player in the world over Michael Jordan and that he could win a championship with the right supporting cast, just like Jordan did with the Chicago Bulls.
"I said, 'We're going to the Finals.' They said, 'How do you know that?' I said, 'Cause I think I'm the best damn player in the world.' I said, 'Michael Jordan's just better than me because he's got better players. I'm playing with bums in Philly'," Barkley recalled on 'The Bill Simmons Podcast.'
Barkley backed up his talk - for the most part
The Chuckster kept his word and led the Suns to the best record in the league in his first season with the team, and he even won the NBA MVP award.
As Barkley predicted, the Suns reached the NBA Finals, but they had to go through Jordan and the Bulls, who had won two straight NBA Championships. Barkley saw himself closer to proving he was the best player in the world, but the Bulls ended up being too much for the Suns and won the series in six games.
The end of Barkley's friendship with Jordan
Years later, Barkley lost a lot more. Barkley and Jordan entered the league in the 1984 NBA Draft and had many epic battles. The two legends respected each other and became friends off the court. Still, many believe that Barkley's criticism of Jordan's decision-making as the Charlotte Hornets' owner caused an irreparable rift.
Barkley still regrets losing his friendship with Jordan. The popular NBA on TNT analyst has always been outspoken, and it cost him his friendship with MJ.
The exact reason why Jordan and Barkley aren't on speaking terms is unclear. MJ is a private person; he has never addressed what happened. Barkley, on the other hand, has discussed the issue in many interviews and podcasts over the years.
Barkley recently appeared on the "Let's Go! with Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray" podcast and discussed his falling out with Jordan.
"Michael Jordan, losing his friendship was probably the most prominent thing that's happened to me. But I was being honest about what I thought. I said,' Listen, the toughest thing about Michael, he's got to put better people around him.' Because the toughest thing, when you're famous, they're on your private jet, you're buying all the drinks, you're buying all the dinners. Very few people are gonna be honest with you," Barkley explained.
"I try to surround myself with people like, hey, if I'm screwing up, please tell me. And Michael got offended about something I said about him. And we haven't spoken in probably almost 10 years. And he was my best friend at the time. And I love the dude like a brother and we're both stubborn and we haven't talked," Barkley added.
