Fact Check: Can Charles Barkley Actually Retire, Having Signed Decade Long 9-Figure Deal With TNT?

It’s a sad sad NBA world without Charles Barkley in it. Ever since the whole NBA media rights and TNT fiasco started, rumor mills started to whisper tidbits about the future of the beloved ‘Inside the NBA’ duo, Shaq and Chuck. After Game 4 of the NBA Finals ended, Barkley shocked us all with the big announcement of returning from broadcasting media after the conclusion of the 2024-25 season. After entertaining fans for more than 2 decades, it feels weird to say goodbye to him. The prominently ‘blunt, no-BS commentator’, Barkley was also the highest-paid sports announcer in the modern era. So, will it be easy for him to just cut chords and sit at home? Is the story really over?

In 2022, Charles Barkley signed a ten-year extension with TNT that would award him over $100 million within the period. The same was provided after the former player had gone on to reveal that he plans to retire before turning 60. Along with this significant extension, the network had coincidentally re-signed Barkley’s co-hosts, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith, to new agreements. Even by the time the 2024-25 season concludes, the Philadelphia 76ers legend will still have seven years remaining in his agreement. However, he has adamantly claimed that he seeks to retire “no matter what happens.” While the network may attempt to hold him under the terms of his agreement, there is a sure way for Barkley to make an exit in a manner through which no one would blame him.

Back in May, before any rumblings about his retirement were taking place, the former player made a revelation. He stated that if Warner Bros. Discovery, TNT’s parent company, cannot retain its NBA media rights, then he has an out. Barkley reportedly put the clause in place himself, who predicted that TNT may end up falling into the same predicament they are now in.

“I covered my a**, to be honest with you,” said the 61-year-old. “I just signed a 10-year deal two years ago, but one of the things I did was I put an opt-out in a couple years because I wanted to cover my a** when it comes to the situation.”

Sure enough, Charles Barkley’s prediction came true. At the beginning of June, the Wall Street Journal reported that the NBA is settling on an 11-year, $76 billion deal that would allow ESPN, Amazon, and NBC to control its media rights. With this action, Warner Bros. Discovery and TNT will be out of the picture.

“We knew it was going to be Amazon and Apple, but we didn’t know NBC was going to come out of the woodwork,” Barkley continued. “Listen, I love TNT, they’ve been great to me … I wanted to make sure that if we lost the NBA in two years, I could be a free agent.”

In fact, Barkley even spoke to Sports Illustrated in an interview, saying that “there’s no chance in hell”, he would work until he’s 70. So, there goes Barkley.

Charles Barkley’s careful planning ensured he could now plan his exit from TNT. However, instead of becoming a free agent, he will now head toward a blissful retirement.

Jason Whitlock praises Charles Barkley’s decision to retire from ‘dishonest corporate TV’

It didn’t take long for reactions to start flying in once Charles Barkley announced his decision to retire. One of the first people to make his voice heard on this issue was longtime sports columnist Jason Whitlock. Taking to his official X account, the 57-year-old highlighted his belief that today’s television industry may allegedly be not the same as it was when Barkley first became associated with it.

“I believe Barkley is stepping away because he’s come to grips with what corporate TV is,” Whitlock wrote on X. “It’s dishonest, and he no longer wants to do it. Good for him”.

The sports columnist/podcaster’s remarks come just a few weeks after Charles Barkley himself had reportedly highlighted his dissatisfaction with TNT executives. He stated feeling bad for the people who he worked with, people with families, who would be without a job because the people he worked for “scr*wed this thing up, clearly”.

What are your thoughts on Charles Barkley’s retirement? Let us know in the comments down below.

Before leaving, be sure to check out some insights that Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, shared about WNBA stars Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark.