“Really Pissed Me Off”: Charles Barkley Was Livid at TNT for Not Informing Him on ESPN ‘Transaction’

Charles Barkley joined ‘Inside the NBA’ in 2000, shortly after playing his final game in the NBA. He has since remained loyal to Turner Sports, even signing a 10-year extension in 2022. Unfortunately, his allegiance to the company wasn’t treated with the respect it deserved as TNT signed a deal with ESPN that would allow the Inside the NBA crew to continue their show under ESPN’s banner.

“I heard it [the deal] on the internet,” Barkley revealed. During an interview on Audacy Sports, the NBA legend said that “TNT didn’t even have the courtesy” to keep him in the loop about the future of his show. 

He recalled that his friends over at ESPN, like Brian Windhorst and Bob Myers, first congratulated him on joining their network. That was how he got the news. The 1993 NBA MVP seemed displeased with how TNT kept the blinders on them even after the deal was done.

“Basically, we got traded,” Barkley said. “If I was going to trade somebody I have respect for and appreciate, I would have at least gave them a heads up. I won’t let them hear about it from other people, or the internet…But to hear it from the internet really pissed me off.”

Sir Charles added how Ernie Johnson and Kenny ‘The Jet’ Smith have been hallmarks of Turner Sports for decades. He expected the network to show him and his colleagues the respect they deserve for bringing 21 Emmy award nominations to TNT. 

His frustration is understandable, especially since Barkley has been harboring doubts about his television career over the past few years. Despite wanting to spend more time with his family, the Hall of Famer had ultimately showed his loyalty to ‘Inside the NBA’, which wasn’t reciprocated. 

Of course, his analogy likening the move to a trade doesn’t entirely hold up. After all, TNT will continue to produce its hallmark show in-house. ‘Inside the NBA’ will remain at Studio J in Atlanta with networks like ABC and ESPN only receiving the rights to broadcast the show. 

Barkley was worried for the ‘behind-the-scenes’ crew

Though many would consider the deal with ESPN to be a win, Barkley has remained wary of the proceedings all summer. 

“I was just concerned about the people I work with,” the 11-time All-Star shared. “I was never worried about me, Ernie, Kenny and Shaq because, obviously, we’re going to have other opportunities…I’m happy for the people who work behind the scenes,” Chuck added. 

With Turner Sports retaining the rights to produce ‘Inside the NBA’, Barkley’s biggest concern regarding the move was assuaged. The entire production crew will remain the same as ESPN will not meddle in any kind of way with the production. 

Perhaps this is why both him and Ernie Johnson had remained adamant about only continuing their hallmark show from Studio J in Atlanta.