Charles Barkley has opened up in depth about the intense argument that ended his long-standing friendship with NBA legend Michael Jordan—an incident that has left the two stars estranged for over a decade.
In two separate podcast interviews, Barkley detailed how one honest critique of Jordan’s leadership with the Charlotte Bobcats led to a complete breakdown in communication.
A Decade-Long Silence
On All The Smoke, a podcast hosted by former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Barkley shared that he and Jordan haven’t spoken since a fiery phone call years ago.
“He went ballistic,” Barkley recalled. “That’s the last time we talked.”
The disagreement began when Barkley publicly criticized Jordan’s performance as team owner. Jordan became part owner of Charlotte’s NBA team—then the Bobcats, now the Hornets—in 2010. Since then, the franchise has struggled with mediocre seasons and limited playoff success.
According to Barkley, Jordan was furious after hearing the criticism and called him directly. “The last thing he said was, ‘Motherf—-er, f— you. I thought you were my boy.’ I told him, ‘Man, I’m just doing my job.’ We haven’t spoken since that night.”
Barkley Stands by His Words
In another candid interview, Barkley explained his perspective further. “He was my best friend at the time. I love the guy and I miss the guy. But I gotta do my job,” Barkley said. “I think I’m fair to everybody.”
He elaborated on his original comments, saying he didn’t believe Jordan could succeed in team ownership because of the people he surrounded himself with. “I said, ‘I don’t know if he’s ever going to be successful because of the people around him. I think he hires too many of his friends.’”
Barkley stressed that being surrounded by “yes-men” is one of the biggest challenges for celebrities.
“They’re not going to tell you when you’re wrong. They’re flying on your jet, you’re paying their bills—they’re not going to challenge your decisions.”
No Regrets—But Open to Reconnecting
Despite the fallout, Barkley said he has no regrets about telling the truth. “I had no problem saying that because it was the truth,” he said.
Still, he admitted he didn’t expect the silence to last this long. “I thought it would blow over, to be honest with you. But he’s stubborn, and I’m stubborn. And that’s it.”
When asked if there’s hope for reconciliation, Barkley left the door open—but said the ball is in Jordan’s court.
“That would be on his end,” he said on All The Smoke. “I’d probably tell him, ‘I meant what I said, and I’m sorry if it offended you. Let’s move past it and get back to playing golf and having fun.’”
For now, though, the once-close friendship between the two NBA icons remains on pause—caught between honesty, loyalty, and pride.
