Basketball Hall of Fame member Charles Barkley said he plans to work one more season on television, then retire.
Barkley, who works as an analyst on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” studio show, said Friday night that the 2024-25 season will be his last in his second career.
The NBA has been negotiating its next broadcast rights deals, with Disney (ESPN), NBC, Amazon and Warner Bros. Discovery (TNT) in competition for reportedly three packages.
New deals will begin in the 2025-26 season, and Barkley — a multiple Sports Emmy-award winner — said he isn’t interested in moving to other networks. He began with TNT in 2000, the year he retired following 16 seasons in the NBA.
“I ain’t going nowhere other than TNT,” Barkley, 61, said on NBA TV. “But I have made the decision that, no matter what happens, next year is going to be my last year on television. And I just want to say thank you to my NBA family. You guys have been great to me. My heart is full with joy and gratitude.”
TNT, however, issued a statement Saturday that implied it hopes to work with the popular Barkley beyond next year.
“Charles is a Hall of Famer and broadcasting icon who is and will always be a beloved member of the TNT Sports family,” the network said. “We’re looking forward to another fantastic NBA on TNT season and further discussion of our future plans with him.”
If this really is the end of the road for Barkley, he had recommendations on who could potentially fill his analyst chair one day.
“I hope the NBA stays with TNT, but for me personally, I wanted you guys to hear it from me … I wanted to tell my NBA TV and TNT family that I’m not going to another network, but I’m going to pass the baton to either Jamal Crawford or Vince Carter or you Steve (Smith),” Barkley said.
“But next year, I’m going to just retire after 25 years, and I just wanted to say thank you. And I wanted y’all to hear it from me first.”
–Field Level Media
