Is Charles Barkley retiring from TV after the 2024-25 NBA Season?

In the wake of recent turmoil surrounding contract renewal for NBA television rights, the one time 76ers star has seemingly decided that the’s had enough. To that end, Charles Barkley will say goodbye to his job as arguably the best analyst we’ve seen in years.

Charles Barkley will retire in 2025

According to the man himself, Charles Barkley will retire from television after the 2024-25 NBA season. Barkley announced his decision during an appearance on NBATV after Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday night. Considered one the greatest players in the history of the league, Barkley has spent more than 20 years as a television analyst for TNT’s Inside the NBA. With that said, the show may in fact be on its last legs with reports recently highlighting the fact that Turner is on the verge of losing its broadcasting rights. Indeed, it’s a situation that Barkley has spoken openly about in recent weeks.

As for what comes next, the 61-year-old disclosed that he has had conversations with other networks about a possible role, however, he has in fact decided that it’s time to bring the curtain down “no matter what happens” with TNT and the ongoing negotiations with the NBA. “I’ve been thinking guys. I want to say this because you guys are my family. I really love TNT, all of the people who work here, NBA television, you guys have been great to me for 24 years, and I just want to say thank you to my entire NBA family. I love you guys. There’s been a lot of noise around our network the last few months. I just wanna say, I’ve talked to all of the other networks, but I ain’t going nowhere other than TNT.”

Barkley then continued, acknowledging the immense amount of appreciation that he’s been shown over the years. “...But, I have made the decision myself, no matter what happens, next year is gonna be my last year on television. And I just want to say thank you to my NBA family. You guys have been great to me, my heart is full with joy and gratitude. But I’m gonna pass the baton at the end of next year. I hope the NBA stays with TNT, but for me personally, I wanted you guys to hear it from me. Because I’m not going to do anymore interviews. Don’t y’all be calling me, nobody call me. I’m not talking about this again. But I wanted to tell my NBA and NBATV and TNT family that I’m not going to another network, but I’m gonna pass the baton to either Jamal Crawford or Vince Carter or you Steve [Smith], but next year, I’m gonna just retire after 25 years. I just wanted to say thank you, and I wanted y’all to here it from me first.”

With that, an era has truly ended as one of the NBA’s best players and later best analysts has decided to walk away. Consider for a moment that Barkley is not only a Hall of Famer for his career in the league, but he’s also been inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame as well. From his time on the court which saw 11 All-Star appearances across 16 seasons in the NBA, to his work on television which began in 2000 with his first appearance on TNT’s famous show, Barkley has been a staple of the NBA scene. With that, we wish him well in whatever comes.