Hall of Famer and Philadelphia 76ers legend Charles Barkley gave fans countless different fond memories of the game throughout his 16-year-long NBA career and perhaps quite a few more as an analyst. So, to hear Sir Charles say that he is taking a step back from media broadcasting altogether was something that many just couldn’t comprehend. And as he admitted recently, Reggie Miller was right with this crowd.
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Indiana Pacers legend Miller joined the latest episode of The Dan Patrick Show. During their conversation about the 2024 NBA Finals, the topic of Barkley quitting media after next year came up. At this time, the Pacers legend gave his two cents on ‘The Chuckster’ announcing his retirement.
In his statement, he admitted that he couldn’t believe Charles’s decision. He then explained why the 76ers legend is announcing his decision so early on, theorizing that he is simply trying to get ahead of the story.
“I don’t wanna believe it…I think Charles is getting ahead of the story because his name is being thrown out there with NBC and Amazon and the possibilities…He’s always done things on his own terms..He’s not gonna let other people dictate what he wants to do.”
There has been a lot of uncertainty regarding Turner Sports being able to ink a new deal with the NBA. Due to the very same uncertainty, fans and even the Inside the NBA hosts are not confident about their return after the 2024-25 NBA season.
According to OregonLive, Turner is still in the mix despite the league cutting the media network out of their latest sports deals. But nothing is certain and probably won’t be till the end of the upcoming 2024-25 season.
While many will empathize with Reggie Miller on Charles Barkley’s decision, the Pacers legend’s understanding of the situation will likely be appreciated. After all, while Barkley is hardly someone who can be forced into anything, he always does seem to appreciate it when a fellow great takes the time to understand his thought process.
Sir Charles seldom lets anyone else dictate the terms of his life or what he wants to do. This was something he once admitted himself while appearing on The Dan Patrick Show, even if that meant leaving money on the table.
No doubt there has been a lot of uncertainty around TNT being able to retain their rights to the NBA. According to OregonLive, Turner is still in the mix despite the league cutting the media network out of their latest sports deals. But nothing is certain and probably won’t be till the end of the upcoming 2024-25 season.
One way or the other, it does seem as though the inevitable has finally arrived. Charles Barkley will soon be retiring from television, with the upcoming NBA season being the last time fans can consistently watch him on Inside the NBA. Now, the only thing the NBA community can do is catch as much of his hilarious shenanigans as possible during his last dance on TNT’s Inside the NBA.
