Charles Barkley announces retirement from broadcasting: ‘Next year will be my last year on television’

Charles Barkley retires again.

For 24 years, the Hall of Famer has worked as a studio analyst for TNT and announced Friday that next season will be his last on television, no matter what happens with the NBA’s media deals.

TNT could lose the rights to broadcast NBA games next season, and no matter where they go, Barkley won’t follow them.

“There’s been a lot of noise around our network over the last few months and I just want to say I’ve talked to every other network, but I won’t go anywhere other than TNT,” Barkley said while he worked on NBA TV. Post-match show of the final.

The NBA’s current agreements with ABC-ESPN and Turner Sports expire after next season and the league has spoken with NBC, ESPN and Amazon, among other networks and platforms, about moving forward. Commissioner Adam Silver said last week he hoped new long-term deals would be reached soon.

Barkley and teammates Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith discussed their uncertain futures on their popular studio show “Inside the NBA.” Barkley would appear to attract interest from any network that televises the NBA, but the 61-year-old has decided that 25 years would be enough and he will hopefully “pass the baton to a TNT teammate such as Vince Carter or Jamal Crawford.

“But I made the decision myself, whatever happens, next year will be my last year on television,” he said.

Barkley retired from the NBA in 2000 after 16 seasons in the league.