NBA legend Charles Barkley has been part of the award-winning “Inside the NBA” for the past 24 years. With the program about to change networks, the Hall of Famer’s future with the program is looking uncertain.
With TNT losing its NBA media rights, many thought that the beloved program would be going off the air. However, the fans’ worries subsided when the program was acquired by ESPN.
In his guest appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show,” Chuck was asked about ESPN’s acquisition of “Inside the NBA.” He said that he still isn’t fully committed to the move and has been listening to other networks’ offers.
“I’m listening to NBA and Amazon. I want to know everything that’s on the table for me before I sign in,” Charles Barkley said. “I love those guys at ESPN and if we end up there, I’m gonna do the best I possibly can.”
Charles Barkley on ‘Inside the NBA’ moving to ESPN:
“I’m listening to NBC, Amazon. I want to know everything that’s on the table for me before I sign in.” – via The Dan Patrick Show pic.twitter.com/BvMbHBn1TV
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 18, 2024
Since his retirement from playing professionally, Barkley has had quite a success as an NBA analyst. He has been a fan favorite on “Inside the NBA” particularly because of his comedic timing whenever he and co-host Shaquille O’Neal, who’s also a Hall of Famer in his own right, roast each other on the show.
While he has not fully committed to joining the show in its move to ESPN, Barkley has not yet closed his doors. He is simply looking out for himself, trying to see if there are even better opportunities for himself somewhere.
Charles Barkley will have a special role in the New All-Star game format
While his future with “Inside the NBA” is still not set in stone, Charles Barkley remains a key part of the gang. It was recently announced that he along with his fellow hosts Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny “The Jet” Smith will have special roles in the upcoming NBA All-Star game.
In past All-Star events, the NBA employed a more backyard style of making All-Star teams, assigning superstar captains and letting them draft their respective teams. They are going to change that in 2025, with O’Neal, Barkley, and Smith taking the roles of honorary general managers for their respective All-Star teams. WNBA legend Candace Parker will join the three as the fourth honorary GM, leading the winner of the Rising Stars mini-tournament.
Instead of just one All-Star game, there will be a mini-tournament consisting of three All-Star teams led by the “Inside the NBA” trio and the Rising Stars team led by Parker. Each team will consist of eight players. This new format will be implemented in an effort to add more entertainment value to the upcoming All-Star event.
Shaq, Chuck, and Kenny are set to build their roster in a special February 6 episode of “Inside the NBA.”
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
