Charles Barkley Names MLB Star Who Helped Repair Bond with Michael Jordan

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Charles Barkley Names MLB Star Who Helped Repair Bond with Michael Jordan

Originally posted on AirJordanChronicles
By Nandjee Ranjan | Last updated Apr 25, 2026 3:34 PM ET

After well over a decade since their fallout, Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley might finally patch up their friendship. Barkley credited a former MLB star for bridging the gap on April 22.

Jordan and Barkley hadn’t spoken to each other since 2012, after Barkley openly criticized Jordan for his management of the Charlotte Bobcats. However, last week, Barkley revealed that he and Jordan would soon play golf together because former MLB player Vince Coleman.

“I was just chilling at the house last week, and one of my good friends is Vince Coleman, the great baseball player,” Barkley recalled how he talked to MJ for the first time in 14 years.

“When we answer the phone, we say some unkind words to each other. He says, ‘Yo, I’m down here at The Grove. I’m sick of you and MJ’s B*. He’s right here. Y’all need to talk,’” Barkley stated.

Barkley and Jordan have a long history of playing golf together. Previously, the Bulls legend has even made fun of his long-lost friend for his delayed swinging style.

“We had a conversation, but Vince Coleman’s the person who’s responsible. We talked for a couple of minutes. He said, ‘Man, let’s get together and play golf.’ And as soon as I get a break, we’re gonna fly down there and spend a couple of days playing golf,” Barkley said.

It’s a busy time for Barkley, as his obligations keep him occupied with the NBA on ESPN. He has never been to Jordan’s private golf club, Grove XXIII, that the Bulls legend built for himself and customized to have an advantage over his opponents.

Charles Barkley Claims He Never Lost ‘Love’ for Michael Jordan

Despite not being on talking terms, Barkley and Jordan haven’t let their relationship spill into public. They have maintained respect for each other over the years.

Previously, he had maintained that he had a lot of love for his former friend and even admitted to missing their friendship.

“Listen, man, I’m not one of those guys. I ain’t trying to prove no point, or I ain’t got no animosity, one thing we both said: I got a lot of love for you, and you got a lot of love for me,” Barkley said about the conversation.

“Like Vince said, ‘This thing has been silly and stupid, but both of y’all are too damn stubborn to pick up the phone, and y’all need to get y’all a**** together and play golf and bury this thing,'” he added.

Jordan and Barkley’s relationship goes back to the time before they were drafted into the NBA. They were part of the same 1984 draft class when MJ was selected at No. 3 and Barkley at No. 5.

They were teammates in the 1992 Dream Team at the Olympics and faced each other in the 1993 NBA Finals that Jordan’s Bulls won.

This article first appeared on AirJordanChronicles and was syndicated with permission.

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