![]() 2× USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year (1983, 1984).2× Consensus first-team All-American ( 1983, 1984).2× Sporting News National Player of the Year (1983, 1984).National college player of the year ( 1984).Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year (1991).2× NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion ( 1987, 1988).NBA Defensive Player of the Year ( 1988). ![]() Nobody should ever go over that hill hating the fact that they weren't as good as Jordan, Charles. And that, frankly, that MJ had much better help in 1993. And that he didn't have help in Philly that rivaled Jordan's. ![]() ![]() But those Suns were great, and so was Barkley.Ĭharles needs to know that on some nights, and this is saying quite a bit, he was better. Barkley's injured back got in the way of things working out for the Suns during Jordan's finals absences in 19, and Barkley's Rockets probably wouldn't have given Chicago the same run that Utah did had they managed to top Utah in the 1997 Western Conference finals. People don't often lump in those Suns with the Knicks and Jazz as teams that were cruelly denied by Jordan in his prime, but they were just as good and possibly during their peak in 1993, better than Utah or New York. That's quite a bit heartbreaking, actually. I said, 'Baby, I've never felt like that before.' She said, 'Dad, you've never said that before.' I said, 'Baby, I think Michael Jordan's better than me.' And Michael had 52.Īnd I got home that night, and my daughter was crying, and she said, 'Dad, y'all lost again.' I'm going to dominate the game tonight.' And I remember. I said, 'Baby, your dad is the best basketball player in the world. She said, 'Dad? Are y'all gonna win tonight?' I played decent, but then I think the other guys were nervous. The pressure got to the guys on the team. So, we actually got nervous before Game 1. We're going to the Finals.' He says, 'Well Michael's gonna be there.' I said, 'Cotton, I think I'm better than Michael Jordan.' He says, 'We will see when you get there.' So, I said, 'Listen dude, I'm going to the Finals this year. I thought Bird and Magic just had better players. We're going to the Finals.' And he said, 'That's why I traded for you.' So, when I finally came to Phoenix, I had told the late, great Cotton Fitzsimmons, 'Hey dude, I'm the best basketball player in the world. I always thought, Michael Jordan when he started winning, he just had more help than me. You know, I'd always thought that I was the best player, to be honest with you. And then Michael Jordan had to go break his heart.įrom Bill Simmons' podcast, via SB Nation: Now in Phoenix, Barkley led the Suns to the top of the West while playing with a fantastic supporting group including the potent Kevin Johnson, the all-around Dan Majerle, and a series of role players that could get up to no good on (in a good way) and off the court (not in a good way).Īpparently, Charles Barkley had the same thoughts, heading into the finals. And Charles Barkley was the reason why.īecause there was this feeling that the 1992-93 MVP had been nearly as good as Michael Jordan, in his inimitable inside-outside way, while playing with OK-to-terrible teams in Philadelphia in years prior. I was just as frightened of the New York Knicks, the team Chicago barely beat the round before, but after downing the Knicks in the 1991, 19 playoffs, the Knicks were the (scary) devil Chicago knew. Charles Barkley's 1993 realization that he wasn't as good a basketball player as Michael Jordan may come as a surprise to some, but you need to understand the landscape during the 1992-93 season.Īs a Chicago Bulls fan, I was frightened of the Phoenix Suns as the Bulls headed into the 1993 NBA Finals.
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