Charles Barkley is livid with how he realized TNT misplaced “Inside the NBA” to ESPN.
“I thought TNT, our bosses, did a s–ty job, they did an awful job of keeping us abreast,” mentioned on Monday’s “Pardon My Take” podcast. “We had been taking part in golf in the course of the playoffs and we had been studying the web, discovering out if we had been going to get fired or not. And I used to be like TNT, our bosses, they sucked, plain and easy. Like yo man, simply inform us…shoot us straight.
In the long run, ESPN acquired the rights to “Inside the NBA” from TNT as a part of the NBA’s new media deal, however Barkley mentioned these concerned with the present had been at the hours of darkness till all the pieces 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 Corridor of Famer and analyst went on to notice that he first realized the present’s rights had been acquired by ESPN when he obtained texts from staff 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 mentioned, ‘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 collectively for 14 years.
Barkley himself joined the present in 2000 after the conclusion of his legendary taking part in profession.
The solid, which has turn out to be beloved by NBA followers for its chemistry and steadiness of study and humor, will stay collectively.
The present will proceed to be produced by TNT Sports activities in its Atlanta studios, however will probably be broadcast by ESPN.
