When Charles Barkley made a bold statement on GOAT debate after 2018 NBA finals: “I’m just going to slap the hell out of them right on the spot”

The LeBron James and Charles Barkley feud has raged for years. Things got ugly between the two in 2018. In the midst of James and the Cleveland Cavaliers looking to go back-to-back in the NBA Finals, he called for more ballhandlers on the team. At the time, Barkley thought James was being too demanding.

Barkley accused James of being whiny, which prompted King James to uncharacteristically fire back with a scathing response. When he did, he took aim at Barkley's past controversies, from the time he threw someone through a window to the time he accidentally spit on a young fan.

When Barkley had the chance to respond, he took the high road, saying that he admittedly did plenty of stupid things when he was younger. Declining to take any personal jabs at James, he didn't circle back around to his criticism until James and the Cavaliers lost in the NBA Finals to the Golden State Warriors the next year.

After the finals loss, Barkley called out anyone who dare put his longtime friend Michael Jordan in the same category as James:

“Any media person that I see in person for the rest of my life who try to tell me that LeBron James is as good as Michael Jordan, I’m just going to slap the hell out of them right on the spot. … No questions asked.

“The next person who walks up to me and says ‘LeBron James, he was amazing' ... 'As good as Michael Jordan' ... or 'competes like Michael Jordan,’ I’m just going to slap the hell out of you right on the spot, and I’m going to take my chances with the judicial system.”

You can see his comments in the video above beginning shortly before the 3-minute mark.

Charles Barkley's friendship with Michael Jordan

It's important to mention that Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan, who were both a part of the same draft class, were very good friends. Although the two had a falling out when Barkley criticized Jordan as the owner of the Charlotte Hornets, being longtime friends with MJ likely means the Hall of Famer is carrying some bias.

Michael Jordan (2022 NBA All-Star Game)

Even in college before Jordan and Barkley were friends, the Chuckster was blown away by the North Carolina native. As he recalled during a recent episode of "The Steam Room," when he saw Jordan at the 1984 Olympic Trials, he had to relay the information back to his coach at Auburn.

"I said, 'Dude, there's this Black dude from North Carolina.' I said, 'Coach, I ain't never seen anything like it in my life,'" Barkley said. "I says, 'He's a little taller than me. He's about 6-6. He can outrun everybody. He can outjump everybody.' I says, 'It's one of the most amazing things.'"

Although the two men have yet to mend fences after Barkley criticized Jordan's skills as an owner, Barkley has expressed a desire to reconnect.

Whether or not MJ takes him up on the offer, only time will tell.

Barkley's comments about Jordan and the story of the 1984 Olympic trials begin around the 32-minute mark.