“I think I'm the best damn player in the world” – Charles Barkley believes better teammates made Michael Jordan a phenom, says he wanted to carry Suns on his back
Charles Barkley was once one of the most dominant and talented players in the NBA. From late 1980s through 1990s, Charles was probably the best power forward in the league.
While on the most recent “Bill Simmons Podcast”, Barkley discussed what it takes to be the best player on the team and be the team’s leader.
Charles talked to Simmons about his transition from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Phoenix Suns in the 1992-93 season. When Barkley arrived in Phoenix, he stated that he was the new team leader and not their current star point guard Kevin Johnson.
"I was sitting down with the owner and Cotton Fitzsimmons and they say, okay, now this is Kevin's Team. I says, no, it's not Kevin's team anymore, It's my team I said I'm the best player here," Barkley said.
Barkley came to the Suns after a disappointing 1991-92 season with the Sixers, where they were 35-47 and missed the playoffs. In the prior two seasons, the team lost in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Charles knew the team was not going anywhere and had failed to build a roster around him.
He wanted to compete for the NBA Championship and he felt he could do that in Phoenix. The team had Johnson along with Dan Majerle, who were both All-Stars. Adding Charles to that mix would make them a contender. Barkley definitely had a high opinion of himself and his play.
"I think I'm the best damn player in the world. I said Michael Jordan just better than me cuz he got better players," Barkley added.
Barkley was a star of the era and faced off against Jordan in the 1993 NBA Finals after joining the Suns. Barkley also won the MVP award that season.
New BS Podcast: talking NBA Week One, Westbrook, Embiid, Phoenix, bus riders vs superstars, the good old days and everything between with Charles Barkley.
open.spotify.com/episode/1Qvil6…
Charles Barkley stats comparison with Michael Jordan
Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan’s careers are joined at the hip. They are both part of the famous 1984 draft class that included fellow Hall of Famers John Stockton and Hakeem Olajuwon. Michael played most of career with the Chicago Bulls, while Barkley started with the Sixers and then went to the Suns and Rockets.
The two players had very different styles due to their positions. Jordan was a shooting guard, while Charles was a power forward. Jordan was a more prolific scorer and finished with a career scoring average of 30.1 points per game. Barkley’s career average was 22.1 points per game. Barkley, by being a power forward, had more rebounds than Jordan.
Both men were 11-time All-NBA selections, with Michael edging out Charles in All-Star game selections 14 to 11. Jordan also achieved one thing that Barkley never did and that was winning an NBA title.
The two players did get to enjoy success together as they were both members of the 1992 US Men's Olympic team known as the "Dream Team". The duo helped power the team to a gold medal in the Barcelona games.
Charles Barkley's run in Phoenix
Charles Barkley spent four seasons with the Phoenix Suns. When he came to the team, he paid immediate dividends as the team advanced to the NBA Finals. He was also named MVP of the 1992-93 season.
Charles Barkley was named an All-Star for all four seasons at Phoenix and the team were in the playoffs all the time as well. The team put together a solid roster that just couldn't get over the hump.
They couldn’t beat Jordan in the finals and then had to face Olajuwon and the Rockets in the Western Conference Semi-Finals. They lost to the Rockets in 7 games both years.