Barkley Announces End of Second Career: "Next Year is 100 Percent My Last!"

Pulse Sports Team 14:59 - 05 September 2026

After a long and illustrious basketball career, the legendary Charles Barkley transitioned into an equally successful television career. However, all good things must come to an end, and this chapter is no exception.

Charles Barkley has announced that the upcoming season will be his last on television. He has been a fixture on "Inside the NBA" since 2000, and with Shaquille O'Neal joining the cast, the show has become one of the most popular and beloved NBA analytical programs in the United States.

Despite the show's return to screens after being moved from TNT to ESPN, it appears the forthcoming season will indeed be the final one for Barkley and his co-host, Ernie Johnson.

The legendary basketball player recently appeared on Bill Simmons' podcast, where he recalled Johnson asking him last summer to stay on for two more years.

"I told him, 'I love you, man. You're the best. I'll stay for two more years,'" Barkley recounted. "Ernie and I are a package deal. So for me, unless Ernie changes his mind, next year is 100 percent my last."Charles Barkley

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