Charles Barkley Reflects on His Falling Out With Michael Jordan: ‘He’s Got To Put Better People Around Him’

NBA on TNT analyst and former NBA star Charles Barkley says his media career ruined his friendship with NBA icon Michael Jordan.

Barkley started his media career with TNT in 2000, one year after he retired from the Houston Rockets and his 16-year NBA career. As a player, Barkley was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2006.

Barkley is a fun but brutally honest analyst on NBA on TNT. He threatened to punch co-analyst Kenny Smith in the face about a fat joke Smith made at him. NBA on TNT’s other co-analyst Shaquille O’Neal once put Barkley to the test to see if he could spell the word spectacular correctly.

According to the New York Post, Barkley recently signed a ten-year extension worth over $100 million to stay with TNT.

Monday on Tom Brady‘s Let’s Go! podcast, Barkley reflected on his career in the media after Brady asked Barkley if he had anything he regretted that he said. Brady referenced soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo‘s interview with Piers Morgan that led to Manchester United filing a lawsuit against the soccer star for breach of contract.

“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 immediately brought up his relationship with Jordan, or the one they had before Barkley entered the world of media.

“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.”

Barkley elaborated that he had tried to surround himself with honest people because he needed to be held in check.

“I try to surround myself with people like ‘hey, if I’m screwing up, please tell me,'” Barkley added. “And Michael got offended with something I said about him, and we haven’t spoken in probably almost ten years!”

Barkley explained how close his relationship with Jordan was; they did not talk to one another because of their personalities.

“And he was my best friend at the time, and I love the dude like a brother. And we’re both stubborn, and we haven’t talked. So that’s probably the most prominent thing.”

Listen above via Let’s Go! podcast.