Charles Barkley isn’t retiring. In fact, he’s not going anywhere.
Barkley and TNT Sports announced in a joint statement Tuesday that the Basketball Hall of Famer and popular broadcaster will remain with the network and parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, even if it loses NBA broadcast rights after next season.
“I love my TNT Sports family,” said Barkley in the statement. “My No. 1 priority has been and always will be our people and keeping everyone together for as long as possible. We have the most amazing people, and they are the best at what they do.
“I’m looking forward to continuing to work with them both on the shows we currently have and new ones we develop together in the future.
“This is the only place for me.”
The 61-year-old Barkley, who has been an analyst on TNT’s acclaimed “Inside the NBA” studio program since 2000, had been facing an uncertain future because of the new NBA rights deal.
In July, the league announced an 11-year, $77 billion media rights deal, beginning in the 2025-26 season, with NBC, ESPN/ABC, and Amazon, leaving longtime partner TNT out of the mix.
Warner Bros. Discovery promptly sued the NBA, claiming it had the right to match the package of games awarded to Amazon. The NBA has denied that, because the Amazon portion of the package is dedicated to a streaming-only service.
Barkley, who candidly expressed his frustrations with Warner Bros. Discovery’s approach to the negotiations on multiple occasions, indicated in June that he would retire if TNT did not retain NBA rights.
During a recent appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show,” during which he confirmed that his contract with TNT is for 10 years and $210 million, Barkley seemed more open to other broadcasting possibilities.
Barkley’s commitment to remaining with TNT likely means he will be involved in coverage of an assortment of sports, whether or not the network retains some NBA broadcasting rights. He is currently in the third year of his contract.
TNT currently broadcasts the NCAA men’s basketball tournament — Barkley has been part of March Madness coverage for years — along with rights to the NHL, MLB, and more. It has future deals to carry some college football playoffs, French Open tennis, and Big East basketball.
“We continue to add to the breadth and depth of our sports portfolio,’’ said TNT Sports chairman and CEO Luis Silberwasser in a statement, “and it’s fantastic to have Charles for this journey as we develop new content ideas and shows for our fans.”