Ex-Mets outfielder Vince Coleman helped broker truce between Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley

A former Met helped play the role of peacemaker between Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan, Sir Charles said during a radio appearance Wednesday on a Chicago sports talk station. 

Vince Coleman, who played three seasons from 1991 to 1993 in Queens, brokered the truce when he randomly called Barkley while with Jordan, putting the two on the phone together. 

Ironically, Barkley told this story while appearing on ESPN Chicago’s “Waddle & Silvy” show, the very same radio program on which he made his critical comments about Jordan’s ownership of the then-Charlotte Bobcats. 

Charles Barkley laughs at a foul call with Bulls guard Michael Jordan during the first half of the Bulls’ win over the Suns on Jan. 28, 1996 at the United Center in Chicago. AFP via Getty Images

“It’s interesting,” Barkley said on the show Wednesday, according to The Athletic. “I was just chillin’ at the house last week, and one of my good friends is Vince Coleman, the great baseball player. When we answer the phone, we (jokingly) say some unkind words to each other … he says, ‘Yo, I’m down here at The Grove. I’m sick of you and MJ’s BS. He’s right here. Y’all need to talk.’ And we had a conversation, but Vince Coleman’s the person who’s responsible. We [Barkley and Jordan] talked for a couple minutes. He said, ‘Man, let’s get together and play golf.

“And as soon as I get a break, we’re gonna fly down there and spend a couple days playing golf.’”

Former Major Leaguer Vince Coleman reacts at T-Mobile Park on July 7, 2023 in Seattle. Getty Images

The comments Barkley made in 2012 fractured his friendship with Jordan when he said on the show that he loves Jordan, “but he has not done a good job” when discussing the NBA legends’ ownership of the Bobcats. 

Barkley recently revealed on Chris Russo’s Mad Dog Unleashed on SiriusXM on Friday that he and Jordan had talked and that they’re going to play golf after the NBA season. 

The NBA commentator added on Wednesday that “we’ll be fine.” 

“I tell people it’s not like we’re Prince Harry and Prince William, who hate each other. Honestly, I think we both missed each other, because we’ve had this conversation with other friends, and we’re both too stubborn to pick up the phone, to be honest with you. But I think both parties missed each other a great deal,” he said.