Only a few sports broadcasters can hold their audience the same way Charles Barkley did. As part of the Inside the NBA crew, he’s become a staple in many American households with his hilarious quips and terrific insight.
However, he stunned the NBA world with his decision to retire from his broadcasting career once his current contract with TNT expires. With the show’s future still up in the air, it’s understandable to see where Sir Charles is coming from.
Moreover, it’s not like he needs to keep on working. He’s made enough money through his playing and broadcasting careers that will allow him to live comfortably the rest of his life.
One analyst doesn’t believe Barkley is ready to walk away from the camera, though. He thinks that there are still a couple more years left in Barkley before he really calls it a career and step away from the limelight.
Stephen A. Smith thinks Charles Barkley will still be broadcasting beyond 2025
While many are bracing themselves for Barkley’s potential departure from sports media, Stephen A. Smith is fully convinced that Barkley is not fully committed to walking away from sports media due to Inside the NBA‘s hazy future.
Per The Spun’s Kameron Duncan:
“I’m not in any way calling Charles Barkley a liar. I think that Charles Barkley is very sincere. I just don’t think it’s gonna happen. I don’t think Charles Barkley is leaving,” Smith said on his podcast.
He further argued that Barkley loves working with his colleagues right now and wants nothing more than to keep things the same:
“That is the Charles Barkley you’re hearing right now. A Charles Barkley that loves the people he works with. That loves a lot of the bosses he worked for. That loves some of the colleagues he worked with on the air and behind the scenes,” Smith continued.
“It’s a family over there to him. And he can’t imagine wanting to be somewhere else, working with or for somebody else while those people are looking for a job.”
Barkley is one of the most beloved figures in the NBA, so it’s easy to see why Smith and a couple of others don’t wnat him to push through with his retirement. However, the final say is all up to Barkley. If he thinks he’s had enough, then all NBA fans can do is thank him as he walks off into the sunset.
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