Probably the biggest part of Friday night’s Game 4 of the NBA Finals came when it was over and Charles Barkley announced he would be retiring from television after the 2024-2025 season.
Barkley and his cohorts on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” — Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal — are some of the main faces of the NBA.
Their show is not only informative but highly entertaining.
The standard line is only two people can openly speak their mind without repercussions: Old people and Barkley.
The NBA is in TV contract negotiations and no one knows if Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns TNT, will be part of it. But Barkley let it be known he would not be working for anyone but TNT.
As if the game was not surprising enough, the timing of Barkley’s statement was as well since he basically giving a year’s notice.
The game was something of a shocker after the Dallas Mavericks fell behind 3-0 in the series and many were saying the Finals would end in Dallas. But the Mavericks played lights out and outscored the Boston Celtics 122-84. That 38-point win was 12 more than the Celtics combined margin in three wins.
Kyrie Irving and Luca Doncic combined for 52 points, but it was a huge team effort on both ends of the court, especially for the Mavericks starters who scored 97 points.
Dallas outscored the Celtics in every quarter, but the tone was set in the second quarter when they were outscored 27-14 and trailed 61-23 at the half.
Of course, Barkley was on top of it during the broadcast.
“We said if the Celtics come out just jacking up jumpers, going through the motions, Dallas has a chance,” Barkley said. “And once they got their momentum going — I’m not going give any diss to the Mavs. Congratulations, good win. But that was embarrassing by the Celtics. They actually thought the Mavs were going to quit. They came out nonchalant, lackadaisical.”
It’s those type of honest comments that have made Barkley a broadcasting icon.
Barkley’s honesty is matched by his loyalty.
When Joe Kleine was an assistant basketball coach at Arkansas-Little Rock and the TNT crew would be picking the bracket, the Trojans were in it, Barkley would pick UALR and say, “If I don’t I’ll hear from Joe.
Kleine and Barkley played together for the Phoenix Suns and became close friends. A deeply personal relationship exists even now, including a rivalry between Arkansas, Kleine’s alma mater, and Auburn, Barkley’s alma mater.
Barkley is in the third year of a four-year contract that pays him a total of $200 million.
Not saying that’s the case here, but a lot of folks, especially in sports, start looking at a final year of a contract and will hint at retirement to get a new contract.
Barkley is definitely smart enough to do that if that is what he is doing.
Another thing that makes him great on television is his knowledge of the game.
In 1984 he was invited to try out for the USA Olympic team and made it to the final cut when he was released by Bobby Knight, who claimed it was because of defense.
Barkley was an All-American at Auburn where he was dubbed “The Round Mound of Rebound” for the bulk on his 6-6 frame.
He was the fifth pick in the first round of the 1984 NBA Draft. He went on to play 17 years in the NBA.
He was an 11-time All Star who averaged 23 points and 13 rebounds per game for his career.
His second career has been even brighter with his wit and honesty. If he decides to retire, it will be basketball’s loss.