Sports fans were recently treated to some positive news, as Charles Barkley confirmed that he and Michael Jordan buried the hatchet after being estranged for years. The two NBA legends apparently reconnected thanks to a mutual friend, baseball player Vince Coleman. While Barkley is set to golf with Jordan sometime in the near future, someone he’s seemingly not planning to see soon is Tiger Woods. On that note, Barkley explained why both he and Jordan are no longer all that tight with the famous golfer.
Charles Barkley Speaks About His Relationship With Tiger Woods
To put it mildly, Barkley is someone who doesn’t exactly have a problem speaking his mind. (His wild sentiments about Inside the NBA’s suspected cancellation a few years ago prove that sentiment.) Barkley’s candor also extends to his discussions about his personal relationships and, with that, he discussed his former bond with Woods while on ESPN Radio. During the interview (which is on YouTube), after being asked if he and Jordan might reach out to Woods, Barkley shared an honest assessment:
I’ve never understood, to be honest with you, the whole Tiger situation. Number one, I called his agent — I don’t even have Tiger’s number anymore — I said, ‘Let the young guy know I love him, I hope he’s gonna be alright.’ I wish him nothing but the best. Obviously, he has a drug problem, and I got nothing but love for him. He disowned us after one of those car accidents. I’ve not talked to him in probably — I can’t even remember.
Woods has experienced a number of personal issues in recent years, including automobile incidents as Charles Barkley alluded to. Most recently, this past March, Woods was arrested for DUI again after getting into a car accident near his home in Juniper Island, Florida. Woods – who’s allegedly been grappling with the situation – released a statement in which he asked for privacy while seeking treatment. As Woods seeks to make changes, Barkley apparently wants to make it clear where he (and MJ) stand with him:
Article continues belowTiger left us. I don’t turn on my friends when they do something wrong or make a mistake. I wish him nothing but the best.
Barkley still seems to have respect for Woods, even though the latter supposedly ended their friendship. All in all, this situation sounds considerably different from what went down when Barkley and Jordan parted ways years ago.
How Did Charles Barkley And Michael Jordan Become Estranged For More Than A Decade?
Jordan and Barkley’s period of estrangement was set in motion by comments the latter made during a 2012 interview. During that discussion, Barkley chastised Jordan’s management of the Charlotte Bobcats at the time. The longtime media personality also opined that Jordan needed to get some better people around him. As has been shared by Barkley, Jordan didn’t take too kindly to the critiques, as His Airness later called his friend and chewed him out for airing those views.
In the years after all of that happened, Barkley opened up about “losing” Jordan’s friendship and admitted to missing their dynamic. However, the former Philadelphia 76er admitted that both he and the Chicago Bulls icon were “stubborn.” Barkley seemingly proved that point in 2023 when he was asked if he would ever mend fences with Jordan and simply said, “He’s got my number.” Despite that, Barkley was civil when discussing MJ and gave him his props, even going as far as to reveal the moment he knew Jordan was a better player than him.
As a fan, it honestly warms my heart to know that Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan are taking steps to renew their friendship. Such a reconciliation between the two of them and Tiger Woods seems unlikely at this point, however. It is still amiable, though, that Barkley wishes Woods well as he contends with his personal challenges.
