Charles Barkley recalls meeting Michael Jordan for the first time at the 1984 Olympics tryouts: "I have never seen anything like it"

Charles shares a memorable encounter with Michael during the 1984 Olympic team tryouts.

Charles Barkley’s charisma and basketball brilliance often steal the spotlight, but his first encounter with Michael Jordan reveals a humbler chapter in his storied career. The 1993 NBA MVP met the man who would later be regarded as the greatest player of all time during the 1984 U.S. Olympic basketball team tryouts.

Bobby Knight, then head coach of the team, ᴀssembled a roster of collegiate stars to compete for a spot on the squad. Barkley was among the hopefuls, already renowned for his raw talent and dominant play at Auburn University. Despite high expectations, the journey took an unexpected turn for the young forward.

Taking the cut

In April 1984, over 70 players gathered at Indiana University for the Olympic team tryouts. Chuck stood out not only for his 6-foot-6, 250-pound frame but also for his agility and scoring ability. Barkley’s on-court performance was strong but didn’t align with Knight’s vision for the team, so he was cut.

The choice shocked many, but the Hall of Famer was unfazed because the compeтιтion for team slots was fierce. Among the participants was a lanky sophomore guard from the University of North Carolina nicknamed MJ.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Barkley said. “Michael is a little taller than me; he’s mentally tough, and he could outrun everybody and outjump everybody. I’ve never seen anything like it, and this is before he became Michael Jordan. This is in college. I said, ‘Coach, he is going to be amazing… I’m not the best; there’s this crazy [expletive] dude from North Carolina.”

Jordan’s dominance during the tryouts solidified his place on the Olympic team; he became a pivotal part of a squad that captured gold at the Los Angeles Games later that year.

Years of friendship

From that moment, a long friendship ensued between the collegiate stars, who were hopeful of making it into the professional league. The Auburn product was drafted fifth overall in the 1984 draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, while the North Carolina standout was selected third by the Chicago Bulls.

The two would later cross paths in the NBA, where their fierce rivalry and friendship further defined basketball’s golden era. Barkley’s reflections on those tryouts underscore his respect for Jordan’s talents and awareness of the greatness unfolding before him.

Both superstars had MVP-caliber careers that cemented their legacies as two of the NBA’s all-time greats. “His Airness,” a six-time NBA champion and five-time MVP, dominated the league with his scoring, leadership, and unmatched compeтιтive drive.

“The Round Mound of Rebound,” a 1993 MVP and one of the greatest power forwards ever, combined elite rebounding with an unstoppable offensive game. Despite their differences in style, both became Hall of Famers, forever linked as icons of basketball’s golden era.

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Charles Barkley recalls meeting Michael Jordan for the first time at the 1984 Olympics tryouts: “I have never seen anything like it”

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