Charles Barkley has been good at everything he decides to do. After a Hall of Fame NBA career, the power forward took up a role with TNT in 2000, as part of their NBA show, and has continued to defy expectations with just how good he is at it. After 25 years with the studio, Chuck has won 5 Sports Emmys, showing just how good he is at his job.
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In a recent call into The Mike Missanelli Show on Philadelphia’s 97.5 The Fanatic, the Sixers legend opened up about his offseason plans — in short, lots of golf. Their conversations slowly turned to money and their work, with Barkley expressing gratitude at how much TNT values him, and spoke about his contact with the studio.
“I’m so lucky and blessed to have my job,” Barkley said. “I have seven years left on my contract at $25 million a year.” In 2022, Barkley signed a 10-year, $210 million extension with TNT.
Missanelli then pivoted, bringing up Stephen A. Smith’s recent five-year, $100 million ESPN deal — hoping to spark a reaction. Barkley, staying composed and once again refusing to fall for the bait, shut down any chance of a salary comparison.
“I do not compare what other people make,” he said. “I know how much I make, and I am very lucky and blessed and thankful.” Following the NBA’s $76 billion media-rights deal with ESPN, NBC, and Amazon, ESPN swooped in to acquire the Inside the NBA crew. Barkley welcomed the move, hoping for continued success.
“I wish the NBA great luck on NBC and Amazon, and obviously ESPN,” he said. “I hope they do great.”
Chuck’s retirement plans
Two years after signing his 10-year deal, Chuck announced plans to retire after the 2024–25 season, emphasizing the importance of walking away on his terms. “I do not want to die on TV,” he said. “I want to die on the golf course or somewhere fishing.”
However, after ESPN picked up Inside the NBA, Barkley chose to stay on board with the show at its new home. Still, he reaffirmed that retirement remains on the horizon. While speaking to Missanelli, Chuck said, “I just have to figure out how much longer I’m going to work. I’m holding all the cards and making all the decisions.”
The show, featuring Johnson, Barkley, Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal, nearly ended when Warner Bros. Discovery lost NBA broadcast rights. But ESPN’s new deal keeps the beloved team together. Barkley celebrated the announcement, eager to preserve the magic of Inside the NBA for longer.
Barkley’s decision to praise, not compete with, Stephen A. Smith — while fully owning his own $25 million salary — shows the maturity and confidence he brings to sports media. As the industry gets louder and more competitive, Barkley’s self-awareness, loyalty, and honesty might define his legacy even more than his Hall of Fame playing career ever could.
