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Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley are surprisingly known for their rivalry on the court, as well as their friendship off of it. These two legends entered the NBA at the same time but differed in terms of their specialties. While Jordan made a name for himself because of his athleticism and gravity-defying dunks, Barkley used his huge frame to grab rebounds, as well as box out his opponents. However, even Barkley wasn’t immune to one of Jordan’s brutal dunks, and he definitely got one of the worst one’s.

Michael Jordan stared down Barkley after a dunk

Jordan and Barkley continue to be big entities in the basketball fraternity. However, their relationship ranged from being competitive rivals on the court to golfing maniacs off of it. NBA fans were able to witness the two face off with each other 39 times during the course of their careers.

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But what’s even surprising is that it was Charles Barkley who won 20 of those encounters. But when it comes to an individual comparison, it was definitely Michael Jordan who had the upper hand. However, it was very different when it was the postseason. Not only did MJ win 12 of their 16 battles in the playoffs, but his scoring production was also just off the charts. Barkley was nowhere near it.

During their matchups, Jordan grabbed the opportunity to dunk on Barkley many times. However, nothing ever came close to his poster dunk on Barkley back in 1990, after which MJ kept hanging on the ring. He even stared down Charles to establish his superiority.

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When did Charles Barkley and MJ become friends?

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Their friendship first seemed to have taken flight when they represented Team USA in the 1992 Olympics. They were definitely two of the best players of the 1980s and 90s, so selecting them for the ‘Dream Team’ was a no-brainer.

The Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan (23) shows he’s still friends with the Phoenix Suns Charles Barkley as they get set to play game 6 of the NBA Finals in Phoenix, Sunday, June 20, 1993. (AP Photo/John Swart) ORG XMIT: APHS187693 [Via MerlinFTP Drop]

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READ MORE: Having Once Refused Money to a Beggar, Michael Jordan Reveals Why He Donates to Charities