Charles Barkley announced that he is retiring from television after the upcoming 2024-2025 NBA season.
The NBA player-turned-analyst confirmed the news himself shortly after rumors of his retirement went viral last month. “There’s been a lot of noise around our network the last few months. I just want to say, I talked to all the other networks, but I ain’t going nowhere other than TNT,” Barkley said in a statement, referring to reports of TNT’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, losing its NBA rights to NBC. “But I have made the decision myself, no matter what happens, next year is going to be my last year on television.”
He continued, “I just want to say thank you to my NBA family. You guys have been great to me, my heart is full with joy and gratitude, but I’m going to pass the baton at the end of next year. I hope the NBA stays with TNT … 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], but next year, I’m just going to retire after 25 years.”
Barkley began his career as a basketball analyst in 2000 and has won four Sports Emmys since. One of his best known stints as an analyst is on Inside the NBA with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal.