He then doubled down on his stance, indicating speaking honestly and frankly were key requirements of his job as TV analyst, even if that occasionally meant criticizing his friends. The 1993 MVP suggested he felt his friendship with Jordan was built on mutual honesty, which made the breakdown in relationship even harder to take. Jordan scored 31 points, and Barkley scored 20 with 16 rebounds. Phoenix Suns forward Charles Barkley (34) laughs at a foul call with Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan in the first half of a game between the Suns and the Bulls on 28 January 1996 at the United Center in Chicago. Phoenix Suns forward Charles Barkley (34) laughs at a foul call with Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan in the first half of a game between the Suns and the Bulls on 28 January 1996 at. "And the thing that really p****d me off about it later is Phil Jackson said the exact same thing." "The thing that bothered me the most about that whole thing, I don't think that I said anything that bad," Barkley explained. Much to his frustration, however, MJ retains a rapport with Phil Jackson, despite the fact the former Chicago Bulls head coach echoed Barkley's thoughts. Since he made the comments eight years ago, Barkley's relationship with Jordan has been non-existent.
He has not done a great job, plain and simple." Even though he is one of my great friends, I can't get on here and tell you he's done a great job. I love Michael, but he just has not done a good job. "I don't think Michael has hired enough people around him who will disagree. "I think the biggest problem has been I don't know if he has hired enough people around him who he will listen to," Barkley said in March 2012, incidentally on the same show on which he appeared on Tuesday. Under his ownership, the franchise-which changed its nickname to Hornets in 2014-has made the playoffs just twice, finishing with a losing record in six seasons. Jordan bought a minority stake in the Bobcats in 2006, before becoming the majority owner four years later. But, there's nothing I can do about it, brother."
But to me he's still the greatest basketball player ever. "The guy was like a brother to me for, shoot, 20-something years," Barkley said on Tuesday's Waddle and Silvy Show on ESPN 1000 in Chicago.
Sporting News via Getty Imagesīarkley reacted to Pippen’s comment, joking at the time, “As you know, I always carry a gun with me, so there’s a chance.
Pippen hit back, calling Barkley “selfish,” and said he “wouldn’t give Charles Barkley an apology at gunpoint.” Instead, Pippen said Barkley “owes me an apology for coming to play with his sorry fat butt.” Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen in 1999 with the Rockets. The Rockets granted his wish and traded him to Portland, where he’d spend the next four seasons.īarkley and Pippen’s war of words began when Barkley said Pippen owed him an apology for leaving the Rockets after a single season. So Pippen decided he wanted out of Houston. In Pippen’s first year with the team, the Rockets were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Lakers - something he wasn’t accustomed to after winning six rings in Chicago. Scottie Pippen had some choice words for Charles Barkley in a GQ interview. Following a historic run with Michael Jordan and the Bulls, Pippen joined Barkley and Hakeem Olajuwon with the Rockets in 1999.