Charles Barkley roasts TNT after saying he was blindsided by ESPN 'Inside the NBA' move

In the realm of sports media, it came arsenic a astonishment quality broke that TNT’s famous basketball pre- and post-game amusement "Inside the NBA" would beryllium moving to ESPN. 

One of its stars was conscionable arsenic shocked arsenic the remainder of america aft uncovering retired erstwhile everyone other did. 

Charles Barkley, who stars connected "Inside the NBA" alongside Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny "The Jet" Smith, precocious said that determination was nary connection from Warner Bros’ Discovery’s Turner Sports astir the determination earlier helium learned erstwhile the quality broke.

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Charles Barkley autographs during the In-Season Tournament crippled betwixt the New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Lakers connected December 7, 2023 astatine T-Mobile Arena successful Las Vegas, Nevada.  (NBA Photos/NBAE via Getty Images)

"I’ll archer you what’s fun," Barkley said connected "The Bettor Angle" amusement connected BetQL network. "They haven’t adjacent told america we mislaid the NBA.

"We person to perceive it done the media. And adjacent this thins with ABC/ESPN, I heard astir it connected the internet. Scott Van Pelt, Brian Windhorst, Elle Duncan, Bob Myers, each friends of whine who I truly similar a lot. They texted maine welcoming maine to the ESPN family. I’m like, ‘What happened?’ TNT didn’t adjacent person the courtesy."

CHARLES BARKLEY SAYS HE TURNED DOWN ‘MINIMUM OF $100 MILLION’ TO STAY WITH TNT

Barkley added that it felt similar the "Inside the NBA" squad "got traded," but considering his clip playing successful the NBA, it’s communal courtesy to fto that idiosyncratic cognize earlier it makes the news. 

"If I was going to commercialized idiosyncratic that I had respect for and appreciate, I would astatine slightest springiness them a heads up," helium said. "I wouldn’t fto them perceive astir it from different radical oregon the internet."

Before this move, Barkley had been truly vocal astir Turner Sports’ rift with its NBA media rights, with "Inside the NBA," a programme the celebrated quartet person been a portion of since 2000, perchance closing up shop. 

Jan 21, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns erstwhile subordinate Charles Barkley successful attendance astatine Footprint Center. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

Back successful August, aft the NBA signed a caller media rights woody with ESPN, NBC and Amazon Prime, Barkley said that helium could’ve gone anywhere, but wanted to enactment with the squad helium knew for implicit 2 decades. He aboriginal backtracked his connection that this play would beryllium his last, saying helium wanted to enactment with TNT leaders to make caller shows and much sports content. 

TNT felt they weren’t capable to reasonably lucifer the caller deal, starring to a suit that was yet settled with the 2 sides inking multi-year agreements that would proceed "Inside the NBA." 

Then, ESPN confirmed reports past week, saying an statement was struck with TNT Sports where, but erstwhile the amusement goes connected the road, TNT would proceed independently nutrient the amusement from its Atlanta studios with the foursome intact. It will, however, look connected ESPN and ABC starting successful the 2025-26 season.  

TNT hoops expert Charles Barkley connected aerial earlier the NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal crippled betwixt the Purdue Boilermakers and the North Carolina State Wolfpack astatine State Farm Stadium connected April 06, 2024 successful Glendale, Arizona.  (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

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Next play begins the 11-year media rights hold ESPN has with the NBA. 

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