Charles Barkley announced on Friday that next season will be his final one on television, regardless of the outcome of the NBA’s media rights negotiations. The Hall of Fame player has been a studio analyst for TNT for 24 years, but has decided to step away after the upcoming season, regardless of which network secures the broadcasting rights for NBA games.
“There’s been a lot of noise around our network the last few months and I just want to say I’ve talked to all the other networks, but I ain’t going nowhere other than TNT,” Barkley stated during NBA TV’s NBA Finals postgame show.
The NBA’s existing contracts with ABC-ESPN and Turner Sports are set to expire after the next season. The league is currently in discussions with NBC, ESPN, Amazon, and other potential partners regarding future broadcast agreements. Commissioner Adam Silver expressed optimism last week, indicating that new long-term deals might be finalized soon.
Barkley, along with his “Inside the NBA” colleagues Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith, has frequently addressed the uncertain future of their show. Despite potential interest from any network broadcasting NBA games, Barkley, now 61, has decided that a 25-year tenure is sufficient. He hopes to “pass the baton” to a TNT colleague such as Vince Carter or Jamal Crawford.
“But I have made the decision myself no matter what happens, next year is going to be my last year on television,” Barkley affirmed.
