Less than two months after announcing his next season would be his last on television, Charles Barkley is walking back his decision.
The former basketball pro and “Inside the NBA” co-host said Tuesday that he intends to remain with TNT Sports for years to come, writing in a statement that he has been impressed by the leadership team’s pursuit in adding new sports properties.
Last month, TNT’s parent company Warner Bros. Discovery lost out on renewing its media rights deal with the NBA after 35 years, leaving the fate of “Inside the NBA,” the storied sports talk show shot at the Midtown Techwood campus, up in the air. Disney, which owns ESPN, along with Amazon and NBCUniversal were awarded packages.
Warner and TNT subsequently filed suit against the NBA alleging breach of contract.
“I love my TNT Sports family. My (number one) 1 priority has been and always will be our people and keeping everyone together for as long as possible. We have the most amazing people, and they are the best at what they do. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with them both on the shows we currently have and new ones we develop together in the future. This is the only place for me,” Barkley said in a statement.
Barkley will join his fellow “Inside the NBA” host Ernie Johnson in remaining with TNT. Co-hosts Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith’s commitments are unknown at this time.
Barkley, who joined TNT as a studio analyst in 2000, announced his decision to retire in June NBA during the NBA Finals, regardless of the outcome of NBA’s media deal negotiations. After the NBA announced its trio of partners, Barkley said in a statement posted to social media that he was unsure if TNT ever had a chance.
In 2022, all four hosts, including O’Neal and Smith, signed a 10-year contract extension with TNT Sports. Barkley said in May that he had an opt-out clause in his contract that allowed him to become a free agent if TNT lost the NBA.
In May, before the rights deals were negotiated, Barkley called executives “clowns” on sports radio program “The Dan Patrick Show,” and expressed concern for the crews he has worked with for nearly 25 years.
“I’m angry at people — they’re part of my family, to be honest with you,” Barkley said on the radio show. “And I feel bad for those guys.”
In July, Barkley appeared again on “The Dan Patrick Show” and said he has had discussions with the three new NBA rights holders about staying on TV.
The loss of the NBA is a big blow to the value of TNT since live sports have been among the final bulwarks keeping many viewers paying for basic cable. TNT Sports recently added the College Football Playoffs, Big East basketball, NASCAR and the French Open to its lineup of sports properties. It also carries the NHL and NCAA men’s basketball tournament with CBS.
Alongside his work on “Inside the NBA,” Barkley serves as an analyst for the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament. In June, he made a guest appearance on ESPN as an analyst for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.
