Charles Barkley Wants To ‘Get Past This Bullsh*t’ About Feud With Michael Jordan

Former NBA star and current NBA on TNT analyst Charles Barkley wants to end his feud with basketball icon Michael Jordan.

Earlier in November, Barkley was on Tom Brady‘s Let’s Go! podcast and told Brady that he and Jordan had not talked to each other for more than ten years.

“Did you ever look back and go, ‘shit, I shouldn’t have said that’ or ‘oh shit, I didn’t realize it would cost me that?” Brady asked Barkley at the time.

Barkley explained one of his regrets as a media personality and why he and Jordan had not talked to one another for ten years.

“I think probably me and Michael were best friends,” Barkley answered. “That’s probably the most prominent thing: Michael Jordan. Losing his friendship was probably the most prominent thing that has happened to me, but I was being honest. What I said, listen, the toughest thing about Michael he’s got to put better people around him because the toughest thing when you’re famous, they’re on your private jet, you’re buying all the drinks, you’re buying all the dinners. Very few people are going, to be honest with you.”

On Tuesday evening, Barkley was a guest on Taylor Rooks‘ show on Bleacher Report, and she pressed him about his non-existent relationship with Jordan.

“You went on Tom Brady’s show; I think last week, maybe, and you talked about how you haven’t spoken to Michael Jordan for ten years because of something that you said on air. Who knows if Michael Jordan saw that podcast, but right now, if Michael Jordan was right here, what is the thing you would say?” Rooks asked Barkley. “Cause I know you said he was your best friend; you guys haven’t spoken. You didn’t love that. What would you say to Michael Jordan?”

Barkley regretted that he and Jordan did not have a relationship, but Barkley had to put his job first.

“It’s a really unfortunate situation for me and him,” Barkley said. “But you know, Taylor, I’m going to do my job first and foremost. Cause I can’t criticize other coaches and general managers and give him a pass because he’s my best friend. I just can’t do that.”

Barkley explained what he said about Jordan’s circle and why he felt Jordan needed to change who was around him.

“I says ‘Michael got to surround himself with better people,'” Barkley added. “And I said, ‘I worry about him being successful’ because when you a star, cause he’s the biggest star I’ve ever been around, everybody around you is gon tell you what you want to hear. And I didn’t think he had a good enough supporting cast around him in the front office to be successful.

Barkley elaborated that he had no issue with what he said because it was what he saw at the time.

“I said that,” Barkley continued. “And had no problem saying it because it was the truth. And he took offense.”

Barkley described the conversation he and Jordan had on the phone after Barkley made the comments, and that would be the last time the two of them spoke.

“He called me; it wasn’t a pleasant conversation,” Barkley said. “And we haven’t spoken since then.”

Rooks asked Barkley if he knew that would be the last time he would speak to Jordan or expected to not talk to one another for over ten years.

“I thought it would blow over, to be honest with you,” Barkley added. “He’s stubborn, and I’m stubborn, and that’s it.”

Rooks brought up a hypothetical for Barkley if he had a chance to speak with Jordan.

“If you had the opportunity to talk to Michael now, what is it that you would say to mend that?” Rooks asked.

“I probably would say, ‘hey, you know what I said was, I believed. I’m sorry you took offense to it, and let’s get past this bullshit and go back to playing golf and having fun,'” Barkley answered.

Barkley and Jordan have been in the same room on several occasions but have not spoken to one another when that happened.

Watch above via Bleacher Report.