If you are a Jordan fan, you probably remember the finals of ’93. The Chicago Bulls clinched a dramatic 99–98 win against the Suns in Game 6 of the 1993 NBA Finals, completing their first three-peat. Michael Jordan was electric, scoring 33 points and averaging 41 for the series. Charles Barkley went to war with 21 points and 17 rebounds, but MJ’s dominance and John Paxson’s clutch three sealed the banger Bulls victory in Phoenix.
However, despite the wins or losses in matches, Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan always maintained a close friendship. During the early ’90s, they were almost inseparable. Their bond was most evident during the 1992 Olympics as members of the “Dream Team,” where they developed a strong friendship. Unfortunately, their friendship soured in 2012 when Barkley, as an analyst, called out Jordan for surrounding himself with ‘yes-men’ in the Charlotte Hornets. MJ didn’t take it well. One fiery phone call later, their decades-long friendship was toast.
But this wasn’t the only MJ-related heartbreak Charles Barkley experienced during his NBA journey. Well, after the 1993 finals, all the heartbroken Suns fans moved on. Chuck was left shattered by what his sweetest fan had to say after the loss. He recently shared on Spittin’ Chicklets the incident with his daughter. He said, “I remember going home, and my daughter was crying. She said, Dad, you told me you all were going to win.” For an athlete father, this surely would have been the toughest blow of all. But that’s not where the heartbreaking conversation ended.
He recalled giving her a justified reason for it. Where he said “And I remember telling her, I said, I got to be honest with you, that guy’s better at basketball than me.” Even the fiercest competitors and toughest fathers know when to bow to the truth. And this time, the truth wore #23. He continued narrating the incident. “I said, I’m not giving up. But I said, I’ve never said somebody was better than basketball than me because obviously it’s a team game. But I said, he’s actually…” Charles Barkley reassured his daughter that he gave his best, and this wisdom would have surely been one of her core memories. He taught her that giving your best matters more than winning.
For Barkley, who thought of himself to be the best player in the world, that Finals loss must have lingered deeper than most. It wasn’t just defeat, it was the realization that even his prime wasn’t enough against Michael Jordan. In that moment, greatness had a name, and it wasn’t his. However, his act of accepting it like a true sportsman, is what reflects his spirit the best.
Charles Barkley Reignited the GOAT Debate
Barkley dropped another truth bomb on the never-ending GOAT conversation, doubling down on his controversial ranking that slots LeBron James at seventh all-time. Behind legends like Wilt, Kareem, Russell, MJ, Oscar Robertson, and even Kobe Bryant. “I’ve always said LeBron on my list; he’s number seven all-time. I got Wilt, Kareem, Bill Russell, Michael, and Oscar. I got Kobe 6 and LeBron 7.” Barkley declared on Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich, shutting down any notion that the Lakers’ playoff exit should reshape history. For Chuck, this isn’t about recency bias but it’s about legacy.
And in his eyes, modern fans relying on stats over dominance are missing the point. “LeBron has played how many more seasons than MJ and he’s still behind him? That’s crazy,” he fired off just straight up discarding the longevity argument with one brutal comparison. The Round Mound didn’t stop there. He zeroed in on the intangible edge that separates the old guard from today’s superstars: fear. “Nobody ever said that s** about Michael and Kobe,”* Barkley scoffed, referencing LeBron’s reputation as a “nice guy” compared to Jordan and Bryant’s ruthless 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁er instincts.
via Imago
He said “Most of the people calling him the GOAT probably never even saw Michael Jordan play.” He called out a generation of fans who know MJ only from highlights and The Last Dance. “The closest they got was watching The Last Dance. That ain’t the same as seeing him destroy people night after night. Jordan was a different animal.” According to Charles Barkley, the stats can lie but dominance never does.
After 22 seasons, four rings, and the scoring record, LeBron’s resume is untouchable. But Barkley’s ranking exposes a generational divide in how we measure greatness. To him, longevity doesn’t overshadow dominance. “I love LeBron. But for him to be that far behind MJ and he’s played eight more seasons? C’mon man, y’all need to stop this,” Barkley said, cutting through the hype with bluntness. Whether you agree or not, his stance forces a harder question. For Barkley, the answer is obvious. The throne still belongs to the older GOATs.
