Charles Barkley breaks his silence as popular TNT show ‘Inside the NBA’ with Shaquille O’Neal faces the AXE
Charles Barkley fears up to 200 people could lose their jobs after it was revealed that the popular show ‘Inside the NBA’ is facing axing.
The analyst also emphasized that iconic anchor Ernie Johnson would not join another broadcaster if TNT loses the rights to broadcast the NBA.
Reports on Tuesday claimed the league is close to signing television deals with ESPN, Amazon and NBC totaling $7.4 billion per year.
TNT has built a beloved broadcast team of Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Johnson.
But ‘Inside the NBA’ will now end after the 2024-25 season. “It sucks right now for the people I work with,” Barkley said.
Charles Barkley fears 200 people could lose their jobs if ‘Inside the NBA’ comes under fire
TNT has assembled a popular crew of (L-R) Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Barkley
‘I can’t say anything. “I worry about all the people I work with,” he said Sirius XM.
“I feel really bad, man. Because internally, if we lose the NBA, probably 200 people will lose their jobs.”
Barkley suggested he would be open to working for other broadcasters should his time at TNT come to an end. But he claimed Johnson, 67, would rather retire than move.
“I don’t want to lie to you, I know Ernie wouldn’t go anywhere else — he’s almost 70 years old, I think he’s going to retire sooner or later,” Barkley said.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen with Amazon and ESPN, or if we lose it to NBC. To be honest, I don’t really know how to answer that question. I just do not know.
Barkley claimed legendary host Johnson, 67, would retire rather than join another network
“Ernie wouldn’t go to another network. I’m damn sure of that. I would listen before I made a decision.”
Barkley emphasized that his immediate reaction to Tuesday’s news was not sadness, but, “Damn, can I play more golf?”
‘I just turned 61, I have enough money. I don’t even consider it getting fired,” he continued.
‘What am I thinking now? Please hurry up and get the Western Conference Finals over with because I can play golf every day for the next four months and I’m loving it man. I play golf every day or go fishing, I like to do nothing.’