In June 2021, during an appearance on 106.7 The Fan, Charles Barkley bluntly stated, “I’m only working until 60”. At the time, Barkley seemed to seal his fate: he would hang up his mic at the end of the 2022–23 season. Yet, after turning 60 in February 2023, Barkley has remained a fixture on Inside the NBA, much to fans’ delight. But his stance appears to be shifting when it comes to his potential new employer. Although it’s unclear whether all of Chuck’s conditions are met, an ESPN reporter has already assured him of the drama ahead.

The 2024–25 season proved to be TNT’s swan song with the NBA. On July 10, 2024, the league awarded its next TV package to ESPN/ABC, NBC/Peacock, and Amazon, leaving TNT without NBA rights. Within days, Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney struck a deal: Inside the NBA would migrate to ESPN and ABC beginning in the 2025–26 season, while TNT would receive rights to Big 12 football and ACC men’s basketball.

While the deal is a good opportunity for the crew, who are most likely to stick together, Chuck has one big problem. And it’s his work schedule. He doesn’t wish to work long hours at his age or appear on too many shows. Just recently, during an interview, ESPN reporter Mike Greenberg publicly acknowledged Barkley’s trepidation. 

“I get it, ESPN… It’s daunting. Like the letters are daunting, but I’ve been there almost 29 years. I can tell you it is in most every way a fabulous place to work and a fabulous place to be. And I think as those guys get accustomed, I think that they will like it,” Greenberg noted.

So, Charles Barkley was indeed right about his concerns. Greenberg’s comments aimed to soothe Barkley’s fears that ESPN’s demanding schedule (with multiple daily shows and cross-platform appearances) would clash with his desire to “only do what I want to do”. Barkley has made clear he has no interest in shows like First Take, Get Up, or SportsCenter—platforms he deems “too much”—and even dared ESPN to “fire me” if he’s forced into unwanted roles.

Despite his past jabs at ESPN’s Lakers-centric coverage (“it’s extreme”), Barkley later softened his stance.

What does Charles Barkley think about working for ESPN? 

Apart from all the demands and issues, Sir Charles expressed that he is “excited” to be part of the ESPN team. He even called it a great opportunity. During his conversation with New York-based comedian and journalist Adam Glyn, he said, “Just trying to figure out how we’re going to work on ESPN going forward. I am. It’s a great opportunity, we just got to figure out the dynamics. But it’s going to be an honor and a privilege to work with ESPN.” Barkley sounded genuinely optimistic. But his history of razor‐sharp skepticism suggests there’s more beneath the surface

This comes after Barkley’s several criticisms of the network’s coverage. During an interview with CNBC, Barkley admitted he’d also explored NBC and Amazon opportunities. Yet he insisted, “It’ll be 25 years that I’ve been working with Turner, and I love everybody at Turner. But at this age, to go over and start over, I don’t know if I want to do that.”

Regarding the show’s move to ESPN, he added that the company has yet to provide him with a schedule. “The No. 1 thing I’ve told everybody: Can y’all please give me a damn schedule? Cause nobody knows anything, Dan,” Barkley said. “Like, at least at TNT, I always knew, ‘He,y this is our schedule.’ None of the three networks [have laid out a schedule]. I want to know how much I’m gonna be working!”

As Inside the NBA debuts on ESPN/ABC in fall 2025, Barkley must balance his status as a four-time Emmy winner and “Sir Charles” legend against ESPN’s expectations. He once quipped he wants “no red eyes”—no 4 a.m. flights or late nights. Whether ESPN will honor that is uncertain. How Disney’s brass responds will tell us whether Sir Charles can truly work on his terms or if he’ll be forced to adapt to the ESPN machine. Drama ahead indeed.