Will we see Charles Barkley on ESPN going forward? Now that’s a plot twist no one saw coming. Yep, the outspoken, no-holds-barred face of Inside the NBA is seemingly heading to ESPN. Well, sort of. Thanks to a groundbreaking deal between Warner Bros. Discovery and the NBA. Licensed by TNT, the network’s beloved Inside the NBA is reportedly set to air on ESPN and ABC from next season onwards. But don’t worry—Chuck isn’t going anywhere. Nor are Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, or Kenny Smith. The chemistry that makes this show pure magic will stay intact, just on a new stage.

Still, it’s hard not to raise an eyebrow at this. After all, Barkley hasn’t been shy about throwing shade at ESPN. Just recently, he boldly claimed that not even a network like ESPN could recreate a show as good as Inside the NBA. He once even claimed that ESPN made its employees “work like dogs.” Apart from this, a few months ago, he told The Athletic he’d consider working with the NBA’s partners (ESPN/ABC, NBC, or Amazon) only if TNT didn’t honor his 10-year contract. But now that Chuck is reportedly moving to the very same network, the curiosity has even peaked further. One question that comes to mind is if he ever worked with ESPN in the past.

The time when Charles Barkley made an appearance on ESPN

What happens when you drop an NBA legend into the middle of a Stanley Cup broadcast? You get pure entertainment gold. This year, Charles Barkley, the larger-than-life basketball Hall of Famer, surprised fans by showing up on ESPN’s coverage of Game 2 between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers.

Known for his comedic takes and candid personality on Inside the NBA, Barkley brought his unique flavor to the world of hockey—and the fans loved it. Barkley joined NHL analysts P. K. Subban, Steve Levy, and Mark Messier during one of ABC’s intermission breaks. True to form, he stole the spotlight with hilarious stories, including a gem about how Messier owes him $5,000.

As if that wasn’t enough, he couldn’t resist a playful dig at his Inside the NBA co-host Shaquille O’Neal, joking that he’d rather hang out with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. It didn’t take long for Barkley’s infectious charm to win over hockey fans. Social media buzzed with reactions, with one X user writing, “ESPN has Charles Barkley giving better hockey analysis during this intermission than anyone on their NBA halftime show.”

Seeing Barkley out of his basketball comfort zone but still in his element as a showman was refreshing. After this, fans would expect Chuck to bring the same charisma back to ESPN. Especially when he is in his element. The only challenge he could face? Barkley already highlighted it in his previous comments when he stated why ESPN cannot create something like Inside the NBA.

What exactly did Barkley say about ESPN’s capabilities regarding creating a show?

What makes a show like Inside the NBA so special? It’s not just the big names like Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson. It’s the chemistry, the banter, and the feeling that these personalities are genuinely having fun while entertaining millions. But according to Chuck, creating that magic isn’t about talent alone—it’s about patience and giving the show time to grow.

On Podcast P with Paul George, the 11x NBA All-Star candidly discussed why other networks, particularly ESPN, haven’t been able to replicate the success of Inside the NBA. “I don’t know if anybody ever gives it a chance, to be honest with you,” he said. Barkley believes networks don’t allow enough time for their on-air teams to build chemistry.

“They’re all kind of throwing stuff at the wall, Like, ‘let’s put this group together’. And they’ll do that for like six months to a year. And then they’re like, ‘It didn’t work.’ Well, you didn’t give it a chance to work…” Chuck said. Barkley highlighted that Inside the NBA wasn’t an overnight success. The chemistry fans see today developed over years, not months.

“It’s easy to say, after 24 years, how great our show has been,” Barkley said, admitting the show faced its own challenges. Especially considering initially it was Ernie and Kenny. And the network had to show patience when it was first Barkley, then later Shaq on the set.

And it’s no secret that what makes Inside the NBA unique isn’t just its cast but the freedom they were given to find their rhythm. Barkley stressed that other networks don’t have the same patience, preferring quick results over long-term success. But now that the entire cast of Inside the NBA is shifting to ESPN with a chemistry that has been established over the decades, ESPN should not be having the issues highlighted by Charles Barkley. Now all that’s left is for fans to shower Barkley with love once again during his ESPN appearance.