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Isiah Thomas and Michael Jordan‘s feud has been a subject of contention for many years. The two former NBA players were once close, but their friendship deteriorated as their careers progressed. Their rivalry peaked in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls regularly clashing on the court. Their rivalry was inflamed further when the Pistons walked off the court, refusing to shake hands after losing to the Bulls in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals.

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Jordan has been public about his lack of regard for Thomas ever since, and their feud was underlined in the 2020 documentary series The Last Dance. During a recent episode of Uninvited on NBA, NFL legend and commentator Shannon Sharpe joined sports broadcaster Skip Bayless to share his insight into the beef.

Shannon and Skip discuss the Michael Jordan beef

Skip and Shannon were discussing the latest happenings on the beef between Isiah Thomas and Michael Jordan. Isiah had reportedly wanted Jordan to apologize on national television after Jordan’s comments about Isiah in his documentary The Last Dance. They even dragged in Donald Trump and NBA icons LeBron James and Charles Barkley into the discussion.

Skip commented on LeBron James and was of the opinion that he is a likable personality, calling him a “decent guy”. He said, “Nobody hates LeBron James that I know of. Maybe somebody out there, yes. But you would expect more of LeBron. You would be asking LeBron in a similar situation, maybe you should forgive and forget. Give him a little bit of a break because you’re so much better than…” He was of the opinion that LeBron is much more likely to forgive someone and move on when compared to Michael Jordan.

Shannon chimed in, “But you think that’s, that would be more…bit more LeBron’s personality than say Jordan’s. Everybody, for the most part, 80% of the people love Charles Barkley. But when he brings up, they say, Charles let it go. Man, Mike ain’t gonna invite you to no more golf tournaments. You’re not coming to no party. Mike is gone, so just, just let it go. When people do things and I’m not saying he’s like this but when President Trump would do something, what they say, oh that’s just him. Michael, that’s just Michael.”
Shannon and Skip don’t see Jordan giving in and apologizing to Barkley or Isiah anytime soon. That’s just who he is.

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MJ and Barkley have had some ‘history’ together!

Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley had a bond that went beyond the basketball court. Despite being rivals on the court, they respected each other’s skills and nurtured a strong friendship off the court. They spent time on golf courses together cementing their friendship. Their bond was on display when Jordan gave a heartfelt speech at Barkley’s Hall of Fame induction in 2006. However, their friendship was strained in 2012, when Barkley made comments about Jordan’s ownership of the Charlotte Hornets.

Charles Barkley openly questioned Michael Jordan’s efficiency as the owner of the Charlotte Bobcats (now the Hornets) in 2012. He challenged Jordan’s leadership and the team’s lack of success. He claimed that Jordan surrounded himself with people who only told him what he wanted to hear. Barkley’s remarks offended Jordan, resulting in a rift between the two former pals.

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Watch This Story: Michael Jordan linked with this NFL Team amid reports of him considering selling majority stakes in Hornets

Both the former players have been at odds since then, leaving fans of both players with the hope that they will reunite one day – only time will tell. What are your thoughts on the duo? Do you think Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas will reestablish their friendship someday?