After previously revealing his plans to leave Inside the NBA after the 2026-27 season, it appears former player and analyst Charles Barkley is done after this year.
Speaking to WSFA12 News, Barkley confirmed that he was going to be done with Inside the NBA after the upcoming season. Still, he is excited about his final season at the table.
“I'm going to take a step back from public life,” he explained before continuing, “I'm stepping back from public life after this year. It's been a great run, it's been a great journey, and I thank everybody for their support all these years.”
Charles Barkley confirms that this will be his last year on TV doing 'Inside the NBA'.
"I'm going to take a step back from public life…I've had the greatest life a person can have."@wsfa12news @wsfa12sports pic.twitter.com/jG3zIBGZhB
— Davis Baker (@DavisBakerTV) September 28, 2026
He further elaborated that he is about to turn 64 years old, and he wants to turn the page on his broadcasting career. He stayed around after Ernie Johnson asked him to, but now he's looking forward to stepping back.
Barkley promised that this upcoming season would be “more like a celebration.” Why? Because he's “had the greatest life a person could have.”
Article Continues BelowCharles Barkley previously teased he was done with Inside the NBA after this year
This adds up, as he previously told Bill Simmons on his podcast that he would leave whenever Johnson did. He claimed that they are a “package deal.”
He said with “100 percent” certainty that he was done after the 2026-27 season, unless Johnson changed his mind. However, it sounds like Inside the NBA is going to lose two key members of the team after this year.
Johnson, 70, has been part of Inside the NBA since 1990. Kenny “The Jet” Smith and Shaquille O'Neal joined the show in 1998 and 2011, respectively. Barkley joined in the middle of them in 2000. During Johnson's stint as host, Magic Johnson, Reggie Miller, and Chris Webber have also sat at the desk.
Maybe Inside the NBA is heading towards a soft reboot. It's unknown how much longer Smith and Shaq intend to do the show. Inside the NBA recently moved to ESPN from TNT as part of the NBA's latest broadcast deals.