Former Phoenix Suns superstar Charles Barkley, the outspoken NBA legend and “Inside the NBA” cornerstone, is doubling down on his unfiltered approach as he prepares to join ESPN’s airwaves in 2025.
With TNT Sports losing NBA broadcast rights, ESPN will license the “Inside the NBA” program next season, and Barkley is already challenging the network to fire him if they expect him to conform.
“I’m not going to change my personality,” Barkley declared on Outkick’s “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich,” per Awful Announcing. “Ain’t nobody — they can’t fire me. I make too much money to get fired.”
Barkley, who signed a 10-year, $210 million deal in 2022, is leveraging his lucrative contract, which guarantees payment for seven more years.
“If they fire me, they got to pay me,” he said, adding he might quit sooner but won’t bow to ESPN’s influence.
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“Nobody at ESPN is going to tell me what to say or do. Period.”
His defiance echoes Pat McAfee’s bold rhetoric, signaling Barkley’s intent to preserve the authenticity that makes “Inside the NBA” a fan favorite.
Barkley also threw shade at ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins, dismissing his analysis. “Kendrick Perkins, who don’t know his (expletive) from a hole in the wall, he’s like, ‘The Lakers are contenders,’” Barkley quipped, pointing to LA’s first-round playoff exit as proof otherwise.
Barkley’s unapologetic style is what’s made him stand out in the broadcasting profession; it’s no surprise that the Hall of Famer is leaning into his identity in the face of outside influence.
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