Charles Barkley has never been shy about sharing his opinions. So a few years ago, when Michael Jordan's Bobcats were stuck in the NBA's basement and it appeared as though MJ was doing a bad job with the team, Barkley was quick to criticize his friend for screwing up the Charlotte franchise. And apparently, that didn't sit real well with Jordan.
According to Barkley, who sat down for an interview with Graham Bensinger recently, his comments about MJ and the Bobcats caused a rift between the two friends. And that rift still exists today.
"I think that Michael was upset by some of the things I said about the Bobcats," he told Bensinger. "Which, number one, they were true…I'm gonna be honest, and I'm gonna be fair."
Barkley did point out that he thinks MJ has done a much better job over the course of the last few years. But it doesn't sound like his recent praise has helped Barkley and MJ's friendship.
"He's doing a much better job," he said. "But a couple years ago, when [the Bobcats] were vying for the worst record in NBA history, Michael had not done a good job. And he took it personally."
For those keeping score at home, this is now the second high-profile friendship that Barkley has lost in recent years. Earlier this summer, he also admitted that he and Tiger Woods are no longer friends.
You can hear Barkley talk more about MJ over here. The good news is that Barkley does think their relationship can be repaired—he calls him "a brother" on several occasions during the Bensinger interview—but as of right now, they're not as close as they used to be.
[via SLAM]
