Charles Barkley is not stepping away from television anytime soon. Despite previously announcing that he would retire after the 2024-25 NBA season, Barkley has now confirmed he will fulfill his 10-year contract with TNT Sports. This comes as TNT will lose its NBA media rights after the upcoming season, with the league partnering with NBC, Amazon, and ESPN under a new media rights agreement.
In a statement, Barkley expressed his dedication to his TNT Sports team, stating, “I love my TNT Sports family. My number one priority has always been 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 excited about continuing to work with them on our current shows and new ones we develop in the future.”
Barkley had previously expressed disappointment about the potential loss of NBA rights, given his long tenure with TNT’s “Inside the NBA.” In June, he had stated, “No matter what happens, next year is going to be my last year on television,” thanking his NBA family for their support and announcing his intention to retire at the end of the 2024-25 season.
However, Barkley has now decided to stay with TNT Sports through the remainder of his contract. He had also explored possibilities with other networks but has chosen to remain with TNT for the time being. Barkley’s dynamic commentary and chemistry with fellow analysts, such as Shaquille O’Neal, have made “Inside the NBA” a standout show in sports broadcasting.
As TNT prepares to lose its NBA rights, Barkley will enter the third year of his contract with the network. It remains to be seen how the network will proceed with its programming and talent lineup once basketball is no longer featured on TNT.
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