Charles Barkley RETIRES! NBA icon makes stunning announcement that he is leaving TV after 24 years as TNT analyst

NBA legend Charles Barkley has made the shocking decision to retire, revealing that next season will be his 25th and final year as an analyst.

The former Philadelphia 76ers star, 61, has been an on-screen TV personality on Inside the NBA since 2000, and his news comes amid the controversial decision to end the show starting at the end of next season.

After the NBA Finals Game 4 between the Celtic and Mavericks, Barkley said, “I’ve been thinking guys…I want to say this because you’re my family.

“I really love TNT, all the people who work here, NBA television, you guys have been great to me for 24 years. I want to thank my entire NBA family, I love you. There has been a lot of noise around our network in recent months.

“I just want to say, I’ve talked to all the other networks, but I’m not going anywhere other than TNT… but I made the decision myself, no matter what happens, next year will be my Last Year on TV.

“My heart is full of joy and gratitude, but I will be passing on the baton at the end of next year. I hope the NBA stays on TNT, but for me personally, I wanted you to hear it from me.”

Barkley subsequently insisted that he would not be doing any further interviews on the matter, apparently keen to stay out of the spotlight.

“I don’t do interviews anymore,” he said. “Don’t call everyone, no one calls me, I’m not talking about this again. But I wanted to tell my NBA TV and TNT family that I’m not going to another network.

“But I’m going to pass the baton to Jamal Crawford or Vince Carter, or you Steve [Smith]. I’m just retiring next year after 25 years and I just wanted to thank you, and I wanted you to hear from me first.”

Barkley will go down as one of the greatest basketball analysts of all time, best known for his work alongside Shaquille O’Neal over the past thirteen years.

“Chuck,” as he has become known, is part of a longtime panel of Inside the NBA, including host Ernie Johnson Jr. (since 1990) and Kenny Smith (since 1998).

Barkley joined in 2000 and was alongside Magic Johnson from 2003 to 2007, and then with Reggie Miller from 2008 to 2011, when O’Neal joined next.

The show has won 19 Sports Emmys since its inception and is widely considered one of the best sports analysis programs on TV.

However, Inside the NBA will soon be no more, as the show will end after the 2024-2025 season, when TNT loses the rights to show the NBA.

Instead, the league is reportedly inking deals with ESPN, Amazon and NBC totaling $7.4 billion per year.

Barkley recently shared his fears that up to 200 people could lose their jobs.

“It sucks right now for the people I work with,” Barkley said on Sirius XM. ‘I can’t say anything. I worry about the people I work with.

“I feel bad, man. Because internally, if we lose the NBA, probably 200 people will lose their jobs.”

In recent weeks, Barkley had hinted that he would be open to working for another network, admitting on Friday that he had spoken to rivals before ultimately deciding to hang up his mic.

This is, of course, the second retirement in Barkley’s illustrious life, after enjoying a 16-year playing career with the 76ers, Suns and Rockets.

In Phoenix, he was voted NBA Most Valuable Player in 1993 and is an 11-time All-Star.