The Chicago Bulls recently announced the franchise’s first Ring of Honor ceremony to celebrate 1990s icons like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, and Charles Barkley can’t wait.
Barkley competed against the Bulls dynasty and lost to it in the 1993 NBA Finals, but even he can’t wait to soak in the awkwardness on Jan. 12 when those former teammates reconvene in Chicago.
“You know what, I gotta go,” Barkley joked on The Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday. “I’m just going to sit back in the corner and stare … please don’t have it a night I’ve got to work. Because I want to go there and be a fly on the wall.”
Barkley couldn't believe that the #Bulls are inducting Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, Phil Jackson, and others into the ring of honor all on the same night.
"You talk about weirdest, uncomfortable… uncomfortable won't do it justice. I can't wait to go to this" pic.twitter.com/qmuPC8Fvs0
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) December 13, 2023
Barkley then chortled that the only way the Bulls can get a crowd is a Ring of Honor night, so the team should actually do one player per game for a while to milk attendance.
But considering the fallout from Jordan’s son getting engaged to Pippen’s ex-wife, lingering tensions over The Last Dance, and the way head coach Phil Jackson flamed out of the NBA since leaving the Los Angeles Lakers, it simply may be too much personality and star power for one arena.
“I’m going to have to go to Chicago that day just to see it,” Barkley added. “You talk about weirdest, uncomfortable … uncomfortable won’t do it justice.”
Barkley and Jordan notoriously had a falling-out years back and are no longer close friends. But Barkley is never going to hold back about matters of sports or life. So of course he wants to attend January’s suddenly most interesting night in the NBA.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.