Michael Jordan saw Charles Barkley upset after a bitter loss, and made it up to him in the only way he knew how.
There was a time when Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley shared one of the NBA’s closest friendships. Years before their well-publicised falling out, the two legends had a genuine bond — and one story from that era stands out as a reminder of how far Jordan was willing to go for a friend.
In a story Barkley has retold, he explained how Jordan went out of his way to lift his spirits after a difficult defeat — with a private jet, a spontaneous getaway, and an early morning call that turned into an unforgettable gesture.
Michael Jordan’s middle-of-the-night call changed Charles Barkley’s mood
Speaking in an interview with Golf.com, Charles Barkley recalled how the night began with an unexpected phone call from Michael Jordan — one that quickly turned into something much bigger.
“I remember one time, I lost a game when I was playing for the Rockets, and Michael called me at three or four in the morning.”
“He said, ‘What are you doing?’ I said, ‘Nothing, sitting here sulking. We lost last night.’ He said, ‘I’ll pick you up in four hours.’”
“I said, ‘What?’ He said, ‘I’m coming to get you. We’re going to go play some golf. The season’s over, you need to get away.’ And in four hours, he picked me up at the private airport right by my house on his private jet.”
Barkley continued, “I get on there, and Daryl Walker’s on there, and he said something to us I’ll never forget — he said, ‘We can’t mess this up.’”
Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley’s friendship no longer the same
Even though their relationship eventually soured, Charles Barkley has often spoken fondly of the good times he shared with Michael Jordan.
This story is one of many that shows how much Jordan valued their friendship — and how he wasn’t just a fierce competitor, but also the kind of friend who knew exactly when to step in and help.
Their relationship fell apart after both players’ NBA careers were long over, and they ventured into NBA ownership and broadcasting, respectively.
Fans of the two stars are still hoping that the two can one day make amends and reunite, as their friendship came to define the NBA in the 1990s.
Read More: Why Michael Jordan ended 20-year friendship with Charles Barkley over one comment
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