The last time Charles Barkley spoke with Michael Jordan was about a decade ago, and the Bulls legend apparently told Barkley to go f–k himself.
Barkley and Jordan were best friends up until the “NBA on TNT” host criticized Jordan’s role as an NBA executive in a 2012 interview. Barkley, who was a TNT analyst, said Jordan was not doing a great job as owner of the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets). Barkley has said Jordan called him over his comments and after an unpleasant exchange, they never spoke again.
As for what was said during that phone call?
“He went ballistic, and he called me and the last thing I heard was ‘motherf–ker, f–k you, you’re supposed to be my boy,'” Barkley said of the situation during a Thursday appearance on the “All The Smoke” podcast.
“I said ‘man, I’ve got to do my job.’ We haven’t spoken since that night and that was probably close to 10 years ago.”
Barkley — who told Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks in November that he wanted to “get past the bullsh-t” with Jordan — said it’s on Jordan to mend things.
“That’s on his end. He was my best friend at the time, and I love the guy and I miss the guy,” Barkley said.
The Hall of Famer explained that he feared Jordan wouldn’t be successful because of the people he surrounded himself with — and said it wouldn’t be fair to criticize other coaches and general managers and give his best friend a pass.
Barkley also shared the same explanation with Rooks and Tom Brady during an appearance on the NFL legend’s Sirius XM “Let’s Go” podcast in November.
“I thought it would blow over, to be honest with you. And he’s stubborn — and I’m stubborn — and that’s it,” Barkley told Rooks.
Barkley agreed to a 10-year deal with TNT in October that is expected to be well into nine figures.
