Calling games is an underappreciated skill. Veteran color commentators like TNT’s Kevin Harlan have been the irreplaceable voice breaking down complex plays while keeping fans’ attention. But there’s some unspoken (or maybe spoken) rules to abide by. The only exception is being unfiltered, untamable, unabashed like Charles Barkley. TNT knows its star employee well enough to not bother muzzling him. Some factions within the NBA still needs to learn that.

His frenemy, Mark Jackson has been on the side of a team and under a network like ESPN – Inside the NBA’s future home – and seems to have some experience with it. When Charles Barkley was on the podcast, Jackson very cautiously asked, “With Mike [Breen] and Jeff [Van Gundy] calling games every so often, we get a ‘you can’t say certain things.’ Have you ever gotten a phone call like that or you just freestyling and you nipped it in the bud from the jump?”

Chuck answered it simply. “Mark, they know better.” Of course they do. Just this year alone, TNT became very familiar with Barkley’s rogue tendencies. Sir Charles operates by, “Like, yo man, can we just do our job?” and TNT doesn’t interfere.

Despite Turner’s PR wing telling the Inside Guys and all its on-air personalities to refrain from discussing the NBA media rights negotiation with reports. Unlike Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith, Barkley spoke about it at length. During the playoffs, he told Ernie and Kenny, “I can talk to who I want to,” and blasted TNT in an interview to the NY Times. Shaq complied with the gag order but admitted that they weren’t allowed to talk to the media after Chuck’s tirade.

Resigned to the NBA leaving TNT, Barkley opted for retirement. He, however, spoke to other networks before overturning his retirement plans. Chuck left a $100 million raise on the table to stay with TNT on the original $210 million contract he signed in 2022. For all criticism of Turner, Barkley chose to keep the 35-year-old show running Turner does know better than not letting Chuck do Chuck.

Charles Barkley won’t change for the job

While the network is hands off with Charles Barkley, those on the other side apparently call him if they don’t like what he says. That drive him crazy. Barkley told Jackson that no one calls him when he’s praising them. “One bad thing, you phone blowing up.”

Barkley said this applies to both players and coaches. For instance, this week Chuck got into a heated argument with Shaq about giving coaches credit. We don’t think any coach thanked him for that. He’s said that Kevin Durant is one of the best players in the league right now. But last All-Star Weekend, he was blasted on all sides for saying KD is not a leader.

When he gets such calls, Barkley says, “Dude, I don’t get no joy out of saying anything bad about you. But when you do something bad or do a bad job, I’m going to call you out just like I’m going to give you a compliment when you do good.”

It will be interesting to see how Chuck operates when Inside the NBA goes to ESPN. But everyone would do better to get the same memo Turner got – no taming Charles Barkley.