Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan make golf plans as NBA legends reconcile their friendship
Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan appear to have finally turned a corner in their long-standing rift, with plans now in place to reconnect. The update comes after years of silence between the two NBA legends, whose friendship once defined an era both on and off the court. Now, after a recent conversation, that relationship seems to be moving toward a new chapter.
Photo credit should read BRIAN BAHR/AFP via Getty Images Charles Barkley confirms plans to play golf with Michael Jordan Sharing the update on Mad Dog Unleashed , Barkley revealed that the two have already reconnected. “We had a conversation. We’re going to get together and play golf as soon as basketball is over.
Hey, we’re not like Prince William and Prince Harry,” Barkley said. He added, “We always had a lot of love for each other. But we talked, actually, in the last probably 72 hours.
We decided to get together and play golf as soon as basketball is over. ” The comment signals a clear shift, especially considering how long the two had gone without speaking. Why Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan’s friendship broke down The fallout between the two dates back to 2012, when Barkley publicly criticized Jordan’s tenure as an executive with the Charlotte franchise.
Barkley questioned Jordan’s decision-making and suggested he surrounded himself with the wrong people, comments he later said were necessary to maintain credibility as an analyst. That criticism led to an intense phone call between the two, after which they stopped speaking entirely for more than a decade. Despite the distance, Barkley has consistently maintained that there was still mutual respect, even if neither side was willing to back down.