iật tít thu hútCharles Barkley is set to move from TNT to ESPN after the latter bought the rights to show the NBA, with the NBA legend insisting that nobody is going to tell him what to do or say

Charles Barkley has dared ESPN to sack him before he’s even made his debut with the network

NBA legend Charles Barkley has boldly stated that his frank opinions and basketball prowess won’t get him into trouble with ESPN because he “makes too much money to get fired”.

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Barkley, along with Shaquille O’Neal, is a beloved member of the TNT crew and a key part of the network’s “Inside the NBA” show, which also features Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith.

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Recently, Barkley took over a CBS interview meant to focus on his new book, and earlier this week, the program went haywire when NBA Coach of the Year Kenny Atkinson joined the show.

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This happened shortly after the 62-year-old expressed his worry for NFL icon Bill Belichick following his girlfriend Jordon Hudson’s appearance with Stephen A. Smith.

On Friday, when asked if Stephen A. Smith had any chance of becoming President of the United States during an appearance on “Don’t @ Me” with Dan Dakich, Barkley responded with a resounding, “Hell no!”.

The NBA Hall of Famer is known for his outspoken nature, and there have been rumors that ESPN might ask him to tone it down a bit when he eventually transitions from TNT ahead of the 2025/26 basketball season. However, in true Barkley fashion, he has responded to these claims.

“I’m not going to change my personality,” he declared to Outkick when asked if anything would change next season, before daring ESPN to fire him even before his first on-air appearance.

Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley traded jabs over their college days(Image: TNT)

Barkley declared: “They can’t fire me! I make too much money to get fired. So, they can’t fire me. First of all, if they fire me, they got to pay me for seven years, and I’m going to quit way before then.

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“But if they want to fire me, I would love for them to do that. The only decision we’ve been making is how long I’m going to work… I’m not worried about getting fired. And nobody at ESPN is going to tell me what to say or do. Period.”

His bold statement came after signing a 10-year, $210 million contract in 2022 to be an analyst on “Inside the NBA”. With at least seven years left on his deal, ESPN would have to pay out a significant amount to let him go early.

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As the show moves from TNT Sports to ESPN, Barkley remains defiant, saying, “Nobody’s going to tell me what to say, or what to do.”

He also took a jab at future ESPN colleague Kendrick Perkins, saying he doesn’t “know his ass from a hole in the wall” and criticizing his opinion on the Lakers being contenders.

After the bombshell announcement regarding ESPN’s acquisition of Inside the NBA, Charles Barkley initially threatened to retire then backpedaled, saying it was “to make sure the people I love and work with for the last 25 years got a job.”