We have witnessed Charles Barkley and his love-and-hate relationship with TNT in the past few months, from calling the executives “fools” and venomously criticizing them for failing to negotiate a new NBA media rights deal. But since then, the 76ers legend has signed a new contract and is ready to analyze different sports. Recently, he was even grateful for his gig alongside his co-hosts.

“However, Ebersol talked me into it and I’ve been so lucky and blessed,” Charles Barkley said to Matt Leinart and Jerry Ferrara’s Throwbacks podcast.” I mean, I made one of the greatest decisions of my life to go to Turner, to work with great Ernie Johnson and Kenny and then Shaq came along. I love the people I work with and work for.” However, a few days ago, Chuck wasn’t happy with the direction and called out Turner for not being a good partner.

“You know, they haven’t been a great partner. They’ve been a great TV partner as far as my basketball stuff…but as far as my television production…it should have happened probably five years ago,” said the 61-year-old. Charles Barkley also expressed his long-standing disappointment with the network while conversing with Jim Jackson. That is why he had to relaunch his production company.

‘Round Mound Media‘ already has 10 projects in development, including the “definitive” documentary about Barkley’s life. The 11x All-Star expressed the disappointment of the pace of the projects with TNT. “I should have probably 20, 30 projects. Which, I’m not going to be on TV,” Charles Barkley on The Jim Jackson Show. That was not the only issue that he had aired a few months ago.

When the uncertainty of Inside the NBA show was at its peak, TNT made a decision that puzzled the 61-year-old. He remarked, “I don’t feel good, I’m not gonna lie—especially when they came out and said we bought college football. I was like, ‘Well damn, they could’ve used that money to buy the NBA.’” ESPN and TNT Sports agreed on a five-year contract for TNT Sports to sub-license select College Football Playoff games from ESPN starting this season.

Charles Barkley has been with TNT since 2000, so it is obvious that there would be some issues. But did you know back in the day he was sure that he would join TNT’s broadcasting rival?

Charles Barkley faced a conundrum before signing with TNT

“The person who got me into the business was Ebersol,” Barkley said to Jack McCallum in 2012. Ebersol previously worked as the former chairman of NBC Sports. ” (Ebersol) thought I’d be good at it, and I was sure I was going to NBC when I retired.” But his friend Steve Mosko, who was working with Sony Pictures in LA, convinced Charles Barkley to meet an executive from Turner Sports.

“So Mark asks, ‘What do you think of our stuff?’ And I say, ‘You all suck. You guys don’t have any fun. You’re not curing cancer, you’re not policemen. Have some damn fun.’ And Mark says, ‘You think you can do that?’ And I say, ‘I know I can.‘” That meeting was instrumental in being what ‘Inside the NBA’ stands for. But Charles Barkley never forgot Ebersol for the much-needed push for a change in career from player to analyst. However, he was afraid to break the news to the former chairman of NBC Sports.

“One of the worst days of my life was telling Ebersol I was going to TNT.” But today, he is extremely proud of the decision and how the 24 years of his life and transformed since signing the contract. And fans would be hoping that Charles Barkley stays away from announcing his retirement again.