Charles Barkley Aims to Heal Rift with Michael Jordan

The longtime friends and NBA legends plan to play golf together after the basketball season ends.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 7:19pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A cubist, geometric painting depicting two basketball players in an intense one-on-one match, their forms abstracted into sharp, overlapping planes of color.The longstanding rivalry between NBA legends Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan may be on the path to reconciliation, as the two plan to hit the links together.Chicago Today

Charles Barkley revealed he has had a recent conversation with his longtime friend and former NBA rival Michael Jordan, and the two plan to get together to play golf once the current basketball season is over. The rift between the two started in 2006 when Barkley criticized Jordan's management of the Charlotte Bobcats, which led to years of tension between the two Hall of Famers.

Why it matters

Barkley and Jordan were once close friends and teammates on the 1992 Olympic "Dream Team," but their falling out over a decade ago was seen as a rift between two of the NBA's biggest stars. Their planned golf outing signals a potential healing of that longstanding feud, which has been a topic of fascination for basketball fans.

The details

In a recent interview, Barkley told Sirius XM's Mad Dog Unleashed that he and Jordan had a conversation in the last 72 hours and decided to get together to play golf once the current basketball season concludes. The rift started in 2006 when Barkley criticized Jordan's management of the Charlotte Bobcats, which Jordan owned at the time, saying "he has not done a great job, plain and simple." This apparently offended Jordan, although he has not spoken publicly about the tension between the two.

  • Barkley and Jordan plan to play golf together once the current basketball season ends.
  • The rift between the two started in 2006 when Barkley criticized Jordan's management of the Charlotte Bobcats.

The players

Charles Barkley

A Hall of Fame NBA player who was once close friends with Michael Jordan, but the two had a falling out over a decade ago.

Michael Jordan

A Hall of Fame NBA player and former majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, who was offended by Barkley's criticism of his management of the team in 2006.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We had a conversation. We're going to get together and play golf as soon as basketball is over.”

— Charles Barkley

“We're not like Prince William and Prince Harry. We always have a lot of love for each other.”

— Charles Barkley

What’s next

Jordan has not yet confirmed that he and Barkley will be hanging out soon, so it remains to be seen if the two will actually follow through on their plans to play golf together.

The takeaway

The planned golf outing between Barkley and Jordan signals a potential healing of their longstanding feud, which has been a topic of fascination for basketball fans. Their friendship and rivalry have been an integral part of the NBA's history, and fans will be eager to see if the two can put aside their differences and reconnect.