For years, there have been murmurs of Stephen A. Smith running for United States president, but Inside the NBA's Charles Barkley isn't buying it, as he revealed when shutting down talk of him stepping into politics.
Pablo Torre reacted to videos of Barkley discussing politics. It doesn't appear he believes that Smith could successfully run for president, saying there's “no f**king way.”
Charles Barkley shuts down any speculation of him entering politics:
“As for me, I’m not looking for another job.”
(https://t.co/fvCo3nWzwR) https://t.co/QDBoqKV5Ka pic.twitter.com/K6Kza2ScbD
— NBABase (@TheNBABase) October 27, 2026
However, would he ever be interested in running for president? Barkley is set to retire from Inside the NBA after the 2026-27 season, and he is “not looking for another job.” So, don't expect him to delve into politics anytime soon.
Will Stephen A. Smith or Charles Barkley run for president?
Barkley appears certain that he will not run for president. However, Smith has been rumored to campaign for years. Earlier in the year, Robert Costa said the First Take analyst was “moving closer” to running in 2028.
A few days later, Smith stated that in order for him to run, his “quality of life needs to be straight.” He also recently signed a five-year, $100 million contract with ESPN in 2025. It's unknown how that would factor into his decision to run.
Article Continues BelowBarkley is enjoying his final season on Inside the NBA. He joined the show in 2000 right after he retired from playing basketball. He has remained on the show since.
However, this is his last year. Over the summer, he said that he was planning on retiring after this year unless Ernie Johnson decided to come back after the 2026-27 season. He later confirmed that he would be retiring from his role in the media.
It's unknown how Inside the NBA plans to pivot after the season. The show is going to lose Johnson and Barkley after the season, leaving the futures of Shaq and Kenny “The Jet” Smith up in the air.