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“I don’t wanna drop dead on television!”: Charles Barkley says him being on ‘Inside the NBA’ past 60 is the ‘stupidest sh*t’ he’s ever heard

Samir Mehdi
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Charles Barkley makes it official that he most probably won’t be on ‘Inside the NBA’ alongside Shaq and company past 60 years of age. 

Charles Barkley has enjoyed one of the most successful post-NBA careers in the history of the league. He fit in seamlessly with the ‘Inside the NBA’ crew alongside Ernie Johnson and Kenny ‘The Jet’ Smith right after retiring from the league after a stint with the Houston Rockets. 

The NBAonTNT crew was complete when Shaquille O’Neal joined the set after retiring as a Boston Celtic in 2011. The back-and-forth banter between Shaq and Chuck has graced our televisions for over a decade now, with the Emmy award-winning show deserving ever last bit of those awards, if not more.

Also read: “My dawg Isaiah Thomas is back where he belongs!”: Zach LaVine congratulates new Lakers signing after Russell Westbrook and Avery Bradley enter Covid protocols

However, with Charles Barkley having entertained generations on generations for decades on end, it would be quite foolish to believe that he has that same amount of time left in the tank to entertain audiences. 

Chuck, once again, reiterates his need to eventually stop being an NBA analyst on the Pat McAfee show. 

Charles Barkley on leaving the NBA analyst landscape soon. 

Charles Barkley has hinted towards wanting to retire from being an NBA analyst in the past, but it seems as though he’s made up his mind on that front. His appearance on the Pat McAfee show delved into this in the first 5 minutes of the episode, with Barkley saying expecting him to continue on to be an analyst past 60 is the ‘stupidest sh*t’ he’s ever heard. 

“Pat, I’m 58 years old, I’m smart enough to know that I’m closer to the end than the beginning and I don’t wanna drop dead on television. I want to enjoy the back-9 of my life. I love my job, Ernie, Kenny, Shaq, the people I work with and for.” 

“I played 16 years, I’ve been on TV for 21 years , I’m probably gonna work till I’m 60. I got two more years left on my deal. But, this notion that I’m going to still be going on TV when I’m like 65 years old and 68 and 70, that’s the stupidest sh*t I’ve ever heard!”

Also read: “I criticized Kobe Bryant one time, and he was cursing me out from 1 o’clock to 4 0’clock in the morning”: Charles Barkley reveals when the Black Mamba responded to his criticism of the controversial Game Seven performance in the 2006 WCF

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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