Charles Barkleys brutal demand to ESPN after | NBA News

NBA legend Charles Barkley has made it crystal clear that his tv appearances will likely be unique to ‘Inside the NBA’ as soon as ESPN takes over the rights from TNT Sports subsequent season.

Since becoming a member of TNT in 2000, Barkley has turn out to be a staple of basketball broadcasting, forming a legendary crew with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal on ‘Inside the NBA’. Despite the show’s immense success, TNT Sports misplaced its broadcasting rights, main to ESPN snapping up the license as half of a colossal new 11-year settlement valued at $76 billion, alongside Amazon and NBC.

Barkley, who had flirted with the thought of retiring, determined to keep on when it was confirmed that ‘Inside the NBA’ would proceed below ESPN and ABC. Yet, he has been adamant about limiting his presence to simply that show, rejecting any notion of showing on different ESPN packages.

“The ESPN, ABC schedule, I don’t think it’s gonna be crazy. But we’re not doing all those other damn shows, I want to make that perfectly clear,” Barkley declared on ‘SI Media With Jimmy Traina. ‘ “It’s an honor and a privilege to work for ESPN, but I’m not gonna be going on First Take, Get Up, SportsCenter, Pat McAfee. That s—‘s not going to happen. That was my first gripe.”

ESPN’s roster is filled with analysts who grace numerous exhibits, and Stephen A. Smith is one of the outstanding voices constantly offering insights on myriad sports activities points.

However, for Barkley, his ties to ESPN are strictly ‘Inside the NBA’ and nothing else.

Currently with seven years left on a decade-long extension signed in 2022 with TNT Sports, Barkley has affirmed his dedication to stick to the powerhouse crew of Johnson, Smith, and O’Neal. The cohesion of this iconic sports activities crew appears set to proceed, particularly since O’Neal has lately hammered out a profitable new multi-year deal with TNT price an annual $15 million, as detailed by Front Office Sports (FOS).

FOS additionally divulges that Smith is poised to pen a recent, prolonged contract with TNT, whereas Johnson, regardless of no present discuss of a renewal, will keep on board for the foreseeable future. After confirmations rolled in that ‘Inside the NBA’ would keep its band collectively, broadcasting from TNT’s Atlanta hub, Barkley made his sentiments public by way of a heartfelt assertion.

“I love my TNT Sports family,” expressed Barkley. “My (number one) 1 priority has been and always will be 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 wanting ahead to persevering with to work with them each on the exhibits we at the moment have and new ones we develop collectively sooner or later. This is the one place for me.”

Barkley didn’t shy away from blasting the network. He rebuked ESPN in March for overly focusing on the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, despite superior performances from teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Unleashing a scathing critique on TNT Sports, Barkley accused: “That’s as a result of them fools on the opposite community, which we’re going to be working for subsequent 12 months, that is all they discuss. Y’all discuss in regards to the Lakers and the Warriors all of the time.”

He continued by highlighting the consistent efforts of the Cavs and Thunder: “But that is since you fools on the opposite community, which we’re gonna turn out to be fools subsequent 12 months after we be engaged on that community, however Oklahoma City and the Cavs been balling for six months.”

Barkley can relaxation simple realizing ‘Inside the NBA’ will nonetheless sort out topics the crew deems important regardless of the collaboration. While the show stays unaltered in content material, its scheduling will see a shift—transitioning from Thursday nights on TNT to Saturdays on ESPN, with extra exhibits slated for Sundays.