Charles Barkley Opens Up About His Surprising Retirement Decision

Weeks after sharing news about his stunning retirement from broadcasting, basketball analyst Charles Barkley is shedding more light onto why he’s stepping away after next season.

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer joined CNBC’s “Closing Bell” on Thursday from the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe, Nevada — explaining his loyalty to TNT and the broader Warner Bros. Discovery company.

“I wouldn’t feel comfortable going to work for another network,” Barkley, 61, admitted. “It’ll be 25 years that I’ve been working with Turner, and I love everybody at Turner. But at this age, to go over and start over, I don’t know if I want to do that.”

Charles Barkley on his retirement announcement: “I wouldn’t feel comfortable going to work for another network.” pic.twitter.com/tfaUeYUqI2

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 11, 2024

Even when prodded to see if more financial incentive could sway him, Barkley remained adamant on not taking his talents to another platform.

“If I don’t have enough money by now, I’m the biggest loser in the world,” he joked.

As part of pregame coverage for Game 4 of the 2024 NBA Finals on June 15, Barkley shockingly shared that the 2024-25 season would be his last on television.

Barkley’s comments Thursday came a day after it was reported that the NBA could potentially be icing TNT out of the picture.

Multiple reports indicated that the league had inked deals for ESPN, NBC, and Amazon to carry its broadcasts for 11 years, beginning with the 2025-26 season.

TNT still has the opportunity to match the contracts, according to The Athletic.

While appearing on CNBC, Barkley remorsefully addressed the idea that TNT’s future broadcasting NBA games was murky at best.

“I really feel bad for everybody at TNT — all the people I’ve been working with for the last 24 years, they’re like family to me,” Barkley said. “I honestly, in my heart, think we have lost the package. This is my honest opinion. But I really hope we get a last-minute reprieve for the people at Turner.”

Barkley has been side-by-side with TNT host Ernie Johnson on “Inside the NBA” every year since 2000, forming one of the most iconic studio sets in sports broadcasting history.

With 2024-25 set to serve as Barkley’s swan song, and ESPN having to find a replacement for new Lakers head coach J.J. Redick, the pro basketball media space figures to be as intriguing as ever in the coming months.

Source: CNBC, The Athletic