Michael Jordan knew that NBA voters were wrong.
When Charles Barkley was named MVP of the 1993 NBA regular season, the league’s reigning champion was forced to cross another name off his list.
gettyMichael Jordan had no time for Charles Barkley winning NBA MVP[/caption]Jordan’s Bulls had already gone back-to-back as Chicago began constructing a dynasty.
After joining the high-scoring Suns via a blockbuster trade in the summer of 1992, The Round Mound of Rebound guided Phoenix to the best record in the NBA (62-20) and was rewarded for his hardwood dominance.
“The MVP always goes to the guy who had the best regular season,” Barkley said. “I had the best regular season. We had the best record in the NBA.
“Obviously, Michael was a better player than me. But that year, during the regular season, I played better than he did.”
Barkley’s words are true.
The only problem was that Jordan was Jordan, and MJ soon made his close friend pay the ultimate price.
“I didn’t get the MVP that year,” Jordan said in ESPN’s The Last Dance. “They gave it to Charles Barkley.
“With that said, ‘OK, fine. You can have that. I’m gonna get this.’ “
What followed was legendary NBA Finals dominance by a 10-time scoring champion widely considered to be the greatest basketball player of all-time.
Jordan averaged a surreal 41 points, 8.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists in the 1993 Finals.
Jordan and Barkley went head to head in the 1993 NBA FinalsGetty youtube@BloopersTVJordan didn’t like that Barkley won the MVP[/caption] youtube@BloopersTVIt became personal fuel for Jordan’s inner fire[/caption]Barkley was also impressive, averaging 27.3 points, 13 rebonds and 5.5 assists.
In Game 2, he battled Jordan blow for blow, pouring in 42 points in 46 minutes.
But Chicago grabbed Game 1 on the road and returned to the United Center with a huge 2-0 lead.
With a historic three-peat in sight and a perceived MVP slight in mind, Barkley couldn’t prevent Jordan from proving everyone wrong again.
“I never got over the pain,” Barkley said. “I never got over the pain, still to this day.”
Looking back, Barkley believes he should have attacked more from the first jump ball in the Finals.
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“I should have been more aggressive,” Barkley said. “I should have played better in Game 1.”
Sir Charles also believes that he was playing the best version of the Bulls.
To Barkley, the 1991-93 Chicago squads were better than the three-peat teams from 1996-98.
“I thought the team with Horace Grant was better than the team that won a three-peat later,” Barkley said.
“Michael, obviously he’s the greatest ever — we all agree on that. But I thought Horace Grant was a better player than Dennis Rodman, all around.”
Barkley deserved the NBA MVP in 1993.
GettyJordan was a huge deal and even driving to games drew media attention[/caption] In the end, MJ and his Bulls had the final word againGettyBut Jordan wanted regular-season revenge and he got it against Barkley in the Finals, leaving one of the NBA’s best modern players two wins short of a career-defining championship ring.
Years later, Barkley has become a highly popular NBA analyst.
Jordan annually failed as an NBA owner but became the first athlete to crack the Forbes 400 with a net worth of $3 billion.
Their friendship fell apart, though, even when Jordan got the three-peat ring he wanted.
“That would be on his end,” Barkley said. “He was my best friend at the time. I love the guy and I miss the guy. But I got to do my job.
“We haven’t spoken … and that was close to 10 years ago.”
In 2025, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks are trying to make the NBA Finals.
Reggie Miller once went at Knicks super fan Spike Lee, and Anthony Edwards has been compared to Jordan.
But MJ versus Barkley after an NBA snub was on another planet.
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