Amid reports of Inside the NBA’s cancellation, longtime host Charles Barkley laid some big news on the general public. Barkley announced he’s retiring from broadcasting following the 2024-2025 season, regardless of what happens with the TNT talk show. His confirmation has since sparked reactions from a number of athletes and fellow media pundits. Up to this point, his colleagues on his own show had remained relatively mum on the matter. However, Kenny Smith weighed in, and his surprised reaction wasn’t exactly what I was expecting.
Kenny “The Jet” Smith, who joined Turner Broadcasting and TNT in 1998, has a considerable amount of history with the “Round Mound of Rebound.” The two have been co-workers since Charles Barkley joined the show back in 2000. They’ve shared a number of memorable moments on the show over the years and, given their dynamic, it’s sometimes hard to predict what kind of exchanges they’ll have. And that’s even by the standards of a live broadcast. So I suppose it tracks that Smith’s comments on his longtime co-worker’s decision to retire are a bit unexpected. It seems the former Houston Rocket was totally out of the loop in regard to his colleague’s decision:
He never called me. He never told me. He still hasn’t called me and told me, ‘Kenny, I’m retiring.’ I was just surprised he didn’t thank me, Ernie [Johnson] and Shaq [O’Neal]. You’re going to retire and not thank us?
What first stands out to me, as a fan, is the fact that Charles Barkley didn’t notify his co-hosts of his decision to step away. The Emmy winner does say what he wants when he wants, so maybe he just wanted to wait for the right time to share his news. Though it’s still a bit surprising that he allegedly didn’t let his on-screen partners know what was up. Another note I have to make is that I honestly can’t tell whether Barkley’s buddy – and occasional verbal sparring partner – was seriously perturbed when he shared the comments above with The New York Post. Part of me is tempted to assume that he was somewhat joking. That's especially because of the fact that the two-time NBA champion later mused that he might post a message on Instagram that says, “New guitarist needed, serious inquiries only.”
“Sir Charles” made his announcement while covering the 2024 NBA Finals. Explaining that he wanted the public to “hear it from [him] first,” he expressed gratitude to the people he’s worked with over the years. In the immediate aftermath of the announcement, fans shared emotional messages on social media. A number of them included pleas for the outspoken media personality not to leave, but many others wished him well as he looks forward to his next chapter. Even his former rival, Golden State Warriors player Draymond Green, weighed in and congratulated him. However, Green also asserted his belief that the ex-Phoenix Sun won’t actually call it a career.
If he does change his mind and stay beyond next season though, there’s a firm chance he won’t be working with TNT. The network and parent company Warner Bros. Discovery have been unsuccessful in renewing their deal for the broadcast rights to the NBA. The hosts themselves have mostly remained silent on the matter, though Barkley has shared some wild thoughts. In his estimation, Inside’s cancellation “sucks,” not just for his sake but for the people he works with. He even pulled a reporter into an elevator to give a seemingly unauthorized interview on the subject.
The obvious silver lining to the show’s demise is that the sendoff season could be one for the books. Now, that’s especially true given that it’ll also mark Charles Barkley’s last year on TV. As a fan, I’m incredibly excited (and sad) to see it all play out. And, in the meantime, I’m curious to hear Shaq and Ernie Johnson’s reactions to Barkley’s retirement to see if they match up with Kenny Smith’s unexpected take.
Inside the NBA is set to return to TNT this fall. In the meantime, check out the 2024 TV schedule for other entertainment options.
