How Charles Barkley found out ‘Inside the NBA’ was moving to ESPN

Charles Barkley is furious with how he learned TNT lost “Inside the NBA” to ESPN.

“I thought TNT, our bosses, did a s–ty job, they did an awful job of keeping us abreast,” said on Monday’s “Pardon My Take” podcast. “We were playing golf during the playoffs and we were reading the internet, finding out if we were going to get fired or not. And I was like TNT, our bosses, they sucked, plain and simple. Like yo man, just tell us…shoot us straight.

In the end, ESPN acquired the rights to “Inside the NBA” from TNT as part of the NBA’s new media deal, but Barkley said those involved with the show were in the dark until everything was official. 

“TNT never came to us like grown folks and said, ‘Hey guys, we’re probably gonna lose the NBA,’ which we could’ve understood,” Barkley added. “But I thought they sucked, I told them they sucked, because there’s a way you treat people.”

The Hall of Famer and analyst went on to note that he first learned the show’s rights had been acquired by ESPN when he received texts from employees Scott Van Pelt, Brian Windhorst, Elle Duncan and Bob Myers welcoming him “to the family.”

“I’m like, ‘What family? What are you talking about?’ Then about an hour and a half later I get a call from TNT like, ‘Well, the story broke,’” Barkley added. “I said, ‘Well, you probably could’ve given us a heads up.’

“You traded us to ESPN and we had to hear about it on the internet. That’s just not the way you do business.”

The Emmy-winning “Inside the NBA” aired on TNT from 1989-2025, and the quartet of Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and host Ernie Johnson had been together for 14 years. 

Barkley himself joined the show in 2000 after the conclusion of his legendary playing career.

The cast, which has become beloved by NBA fans for its chemistry and balance of analysis and humor, will remain together. 

The show will continue to be produced by TNT Sports in its Atlanta studios, but it will be broadcast by ESPN.