Charles Barkley – “I thought Michael Jordan was a better player than me. That’s the only player I ever played against I thought was better than me.”

31 comments

  1. Soooooo… just how bad of a franchise would the Bulls be without MJ?

  5. I honestly have no problem with this. Not sure I agree but I don’t think it’s that outrageous of a statement. Chuck could ball.

  9. I would put up anyone against a prime chuck..chuck was a monster. He would hold his own against any of em. Maybe not win but 100% be right there

  12. On this topic and in this instance here, you are listening to a mature adult talk about the ups and downs in life and sports. If you are reading and listening, if you can master your own mentality, like that is shown here, you can go far.

  13. I mean, is he wrong? The man did win MVP during Jordan’s prime even if he never got a ring. 

  14. Chuck outplayed everybody on the Dream Team in ’92. He won an MVP over MJ the next year. He was an absolute monster in his prime.

  15. People who hadn’t watched Charles play are going to scoff at this. Charles was incredible, could do it all as an undersized PF in a big man’s league. He could shoot 3s, post up, mid range, dunk all over centers, pass, defend and of course rebound. He could run the break and dribble drive on a lot of players. This is entirely believable.

  16. Prime Barkley was such a beast. It really speaks to how stacked the league was throughout his entire career that he never won any championships, he was on some good teams.

  17. You got to love Chuck for his honesty. Very few players would admit that.

    But for those of lucky to watch Chuck during his prime in Phoenix…he truly was a MONSTER.

  18. People forget how great prime Barkley was. He actually led the dream team in scoring, it wasn’t Jordan which everyone would think.

  20. Damn Charles confidence was through the roof…MJ once said the ceiling the roof…Uhh Ok whatever MJ.

  22. Barkley after Dr J and Moses left were the main reason Philly was even semi relevant for good reasons.

    Barkley when he went to the Suns that 1st year was absolutely the 2nd best player in the NBA. The only reason the Suns didn’t win the finals is too many 3s and a bum Center. It’s funny how MJ never had to go against a great Center in the 90s hmmmm?

    By the time he got to the Rockets Barkley was shot and ballooned out of control.

  23. He isn’t lying, and I can respect his perspective. This is one of the greatest PFs, actually forwards in general, of all time. It’s a travesty that the top 10 is so stacked to make it difficult for Chuck to find a place.

    This guy stole a game from the 93 Bulls, won an MVP over MJ that year, and used to get double double against Orlando Shaq.

    Two notes. This same Orlando Shaq, by his fourth/fifth season was named to NBA Top 50. Second note, Chuck’s double double was more like a 20/20 game. Yeah, check those Suns vs Magic games out with Penny, Horace, Shaq, and Chuck still outscored and out rebounded Shaquille O’Neal, while being 4-5 inches shorter.

  24. I feel its getting to be to late for Zion, but he has all the tools Chuck had, just not the heart to grab 12/14 boards a game & stay healthy.

  25. I honestly think Chuck’s prime is underrated because those Philly teams were simply not good. 87-91 or so, he was absolutely the 2nd best player in the league – and if he’d been on a team like the Suns, they’d at least get one ring

    Also people forget how much Kevin Johnson getting hurt affected 93 – dude was really legit that year, and if he was healthy, the Suns at least take the Bulls to 7.

    And while we’re on the ‘people forget’ things; Chuck tore his tendon in early 94. He came back probably too early and just wasn’t in MVP form the rest of the year – that is the biggest reason that Hakeem Rockets team beat the Suns that playoffs. If Chuck doesn’t suffer that injury, good chance they beat the Rockets and my Knicks and Chuck gets his ring

  28. Barkley and Olajuwon were the only two players in the mid-90s that people seriously debated if they might actually be better than Jordan but just had less help. That all ended after Jordan returned from retirement, won three more championships and had the 72-win season. But still for a brief few years they were in that conversation.

  31. My earliest basketball memories are of the Dream Team when I was like 6. I picked Chuck to be my favorite player based solely on those Olympics. He was an absolute beast in his prime

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