“It's not even close”: Charles Barkley once admitted that Muhammad Ali should have won ESPN’s prestigious honor over Michael Jordan

Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan have a great relationship and have never been afraid to take shots at each other. In a 2002 interview with Sports Illustrated, Barkley called out Jordan for winning an honor he did not deserve. He thought it belonged to boxing legend Muhammad Ali.

"As close as I am to Michael, Ali should've been ESPN's athlete of the century. It's not even close. Nobody, not even Jackie Robinson, was like Ali," Barkley told SI.

Michael Jordan was named the "Greatest Athlete of the Century" by ESPN magazine back in 2000. Barkley said Jordan was great on the court, but Ali was a more monumental figure both on and off the field.

Charles Barkley is well known for speaking his mind. He is never afraid of a controversial opinion or going after a superstar.

Ali had a similar, much more prominent gift of gab. This may be why Barkley idolized him so much and thought he had a greater impact than the basketball legend. Jordan was much quieter in public and with his opinions.

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Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley’s relationship

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Despite their different public personas, the two are great friends. Michael Jordan even tried to recruit Charles Barkley to make a comeback to the NBA when he made his return with the Washington Wizards. Jordan only had one stipulation: Barkley had to get in shape.

The two also have a famed history of gambling, both in general and often against each other. Jordan once bet Barkley that he weighed more than 290 pounds. Barkley said the wager amount was “five-hundred” but never mentioned if it was $500 or $500,000. There was no report on who won.

Jordan has also saved Barkley money before and made him plenty. Jordan once gave Barkley a tip that earned him millions.

When Charles Barkley signed his shoe deal with Nike, they offered him three million dollars. Jordan advised Barkley to ask for one million and the rest in stock options.

Barkley was shocked but took the advice and signed a two-million-dollar deal with the rest in royalties. It was a great choice, as Barkley said he made ten times more money than the original three million deal.

Michael Jordan had plenty of experience with shoe deals, of course. The six-time NBA champion turned his original Nike shoe deal into the Jordan Brand, which is now worth billions. He reportedly made $256 million in 2022 from Nike royalties.