Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley were fierce competitors when they faced off against each other in various NBA games during the ‘90s. However, the two also developed a close friendship, which resulted in some very funny, off-court moments. That bond endured for some time, though the two basketball hall of famers eventually had a falling-out. Barkley and Jordan remain estranged to this day, but it seems there’s at least one person who seems keen on reuniting the pair – and it’s a sports analyst.
Not too many sports journalists are as respected as Michael Wilbon is, and there’s a good reason for that. For about 40 years now, Wilbon has been a trusted source for news and has been highly regarded for his cerebral takes on sports-related topics. Wilbon also keeps a cool head when discussing basketball and more. So, when he appeared on the Pablo Torres Finds Out podcast (via X), the titular host expressed a sense of surprise that Wilbon had yet to help the two Dream Team members mend fences. Wilbon then provided a response:
That has been my job, and that’s all I’ll say about it. That has been my job.
Based on the way in which Pablo Torres and co. mentioned that “job,” it’s hard not to get the feeling that Wilbon’s been on this for a while. I do my best to keep up with developments within the basketball world but, if this goal was assigned to the Pardon the Interruption co-host a while ago, I’m not sure how I remained out of the loop. Regardless, I can appreciate the broadcaster’s commitment to wanting to bring the two NBA legends together again. Of course, that could be easier said than done.
Charles Barkley previously explained that he lost his friendship with Michael Jordan after he suggested to his longtime friend that he needed to “put better people around him.” In short, Barkley believed that Jordan should surround himself with people who would be honest with him and not sugar coat anything given the luxuries he could possibly offer them. The Round Mound of Rebound did say he still loved MJ “like a brother” but that they couldn’t reconcile because they’re both “stubborn.” To that end, when asked if he and Jordan would ever repair their friendship, Barkley said, “He’s got my number.”
Still, Sir Charles has praised and defended his former friend on a number of occasions in recent years. When Scottie Pippen chastised Air Jordan after ESPN’s The Last Dance, Barkley took him to task for “big-game hunting” in order to sell his memoir, Unguarded. In regard to that same docuseries (which is available to stream with a Netflix subscription), Barkley noted how it showed Jordan and the Bulls’ resilience as they won championships, even though Barkley’s loss to them in the ‘93 NBA Finals signifies a “bad memory.”
More recently, the Inside the NBA co-host also shared positive thoughts on Michael Jordan joining NBC’s NBA coverage this coming fall. On top of that, Barkley doesn’t believe he and Jordan are now broadcasting “rivals” now because, ultimately, they’re both just promoting the game of basketball. If you ask me, it sounds like Barkley doesn’t hold any ill will towards his old buddy.
However, for any kind of Jordan/Barkley friendship to be reforged, one of them has to make the first movie, and it doesn’t seem like either is keen on doing so. Considering that, maybe someone as calm, cool and collected as Michael Wilbon could reunite these two pals. Who knows if it’ll actually happen, but it would be great to see.
