Charles Barkley announced that he would retire from being a sports broadcaster after the 2024-25 NBA season during Game 4 of the Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks.
The former NBA MVP said that regardless of what happens in the league’s ongoing negotiations with various companies for its broadcasting rights, Barkley added that he won’t work for another network other than TNT.
“There’s been a lot of noise around our network the last few months. I just want to say, I talked to all the other networks, but I ain’t going nowhere other than TNT. But I have made the decision myself, no matter what happens, next year is going to be my last year on television,” Barkley said.
“I just want to say thank you to my NBA family. You guys have been great to me, my heart is full of joy and gratitude, but I’m going to pass the baton at the end of next year. I hope the NBA stays with TNT. I’m not going to another network, but I’m going to pass the baton to Jamal Crawford or Vince Carter or you Steve (Smith), but next year, I’m just going to retire after 25 years,” he added.
WBD Sports, the organization behind TNT, is on the verge of losing its rights to NBC, and Charles Barkley is one of the people who are not happy with it, calling the company’s leaders “clowns.”
Charles Barkley had a great run as a broadcaster
After retiring from the NBA as a player in 2000, Charles Barkley started his long broadcasting career with TNT as a key member of the highly popular “Inside the NBA” show, alongside Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith, where he won four Sports Emmy Awards for “Outstanding Studio Analyst.”
Charles Barkley has also been working as a studio analyst for the joint coverage of the NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball tournament between CBS and Turner Sports since 2011.
