Count then-Suns forward Charles Barkley among the many victims of the Bulls' dominance in the 1990s.
In 1993, Barkley led a powerful Phoenix team into the NBA Finals against Chicago. The Bulls were at their absolute peak, with guard Michael Jordan averaging 32.6 points per game and forward Scottie Pippen making his third All-Star Game in four years. Despite the Suns’ best efforts, Chicago won the series in six games.
That Finals spelled doom for Barkley's best shot at a ring. However, 30 years later, Barkley is one of the most respected sports analysts on television, and in a position to comment on Jordan and Pippen's icy relationship.
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On The Dan Patrick Show, Patrick asked Barkley what he made of Jordan, Pippen and 11 others being inducted into the Bulls' new ring of honor on Jan. 12 when Chicago plays the Warriors.
"You know what? I gotta go," Barkley said. "I'm just gonna sit back in the corner and stare."
Barkley couldn't believe that the #Bulls are inducting Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, Phil Jackson, and others into the ring of honor all on the same night.
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) December 13, 2023
"You talk about weirdest, uncomfortable... uncomfortable won't do it justice. I can't wait to go to this" pic.twitter.com/qmuPC8Fvs0
Once the most formidable one-two punch in the NBA, Jordan and Pippen's relationship seems to have fractured along a number of lines—namely Pippen’s public criticism of Jordan and Jordan’s son Marcus‘s relationship with Pippen’s ex-wife.
“I’m gonna go to Chicago that day just to see it,” Barkley said. “You talk about weirdest, uncomfortable… uncomfortable won’t do it justice. … I can’t wait to go to this.”
