“I said, well I don't want to work to the day I drop dead” - Charles Barkley extends TNT Contract

This week the “Inside the NBA” crew on TNT signed contract extensions. The group, which consists of Ernie Johnson, former NBA players Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley, has one of the most decorated shows in sports media. “Inside the NBA” crew has won 17 Emmy Awards during their time on the air and the show was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame.

Co-host Charles Barkley was on the Dan Patrick radio show and discussed the team extending their contracts. It has been reported that the team signed a 10-year contract extension with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports is the company that owns TNT. Barkley has been with Turner since he retired after the 2000 NBA season.

“I said, well I don't want to work to the day I drop dead” - Charles Barkley

Charles has always been adamant that he will work well into his old age. Before signing the contract, extension Barkley was noted at saying that he would retire in the next few years. During the show, Barkley stated why he signed this extension to help out TNT.

"They're like we need you to stay at least three more years because we want to bid on the NBA. I mean I think it's probably gonna start bidding on the NBA really soon. They said, we can't let you leave in three years and bid on the NBA. So they ask me would I signed on for a couple more years and I said you guys have been great to me."- Charles Barkley

What Charles is referring to is that TNT will be bidding on a new television contract. The current deal expires after the 2024-25 season. The league will likely want to keep the games with their most popular show. ESPN and other networks will also be trying to take a bigger piece of the NBA pie.

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What Makes Charles Barkley Unique

Charles is one of the funniest and most insightful personalities on television. His blunt honesty doesn’t always rub some of the current players the right way but it definitely keeps fans engaged. Sometimes his criticism of players has led them to join on set to face off against Sir Charles. Barkley and Draymond Green had a war of words which led to Green appearing on “Inside the NBA”.

Charles being a multi-time All-Star, league MVP and member of the original Dream Team, he has the resume of an all-time great. That gives him a lot of credibility to give his honest insight on the game. His chemistry with his co-stars makes the show a great one to watch.