The Inside the NBA crew will keep its most prominent member. According to an interview he gave to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post, Charles Barkley will remain with the show where he’s been a stalwart for decades after conversations came to an end about a role with LIV Golf, the new professional golf league financed by the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia.
“I want to thank Greg Norman and LIV for their interest in me,” Barkley told Marchand. “I wish those guys great success and nothing but the best. But, in my best interest, and being fair to Turner — because Turner and basketball have given me every single thing in my life — it is best for me to move on and I’m staying with Turner for the rest of my TV career.”
Marchand reported that negotiations had not gotten to a point where LIV Golf offered Barkley a contract.
The news of Barkley’s decision comes on the heels of a report from Dan Patrick, who indicated that Barkley would meet with LIV Golf decision-makers last week about joining in some capacity. Patrick further noted that Barkley, should he accept a role with the upstart golf league led by Norman, would have to leave Inside, where he has provided analysis about basketball and scores of other things since 2000.
Earlier this month, Barkley indicated he had some level of interest in joining LIV Golf in a cameo on The Next Round.
“I’m gonna meet with LIV,” Barkley said. “To be always transparent and honest, they called me and asked me if I’d meet with them. I said yes. Nothing’s imminent. I actually don’t know everything they want from me or what they technically want me to do. But you have to always look at every opportunity that’s available. So, to answer your question, yes, I’m gonna 100 percent meet with LIV.”
Barkley’s love of golf is nothing new — the NBA Hall of Fame inductee has long played the game, both for fun and in semi-competitive tournaments, while much has been made of the way his swing has been overhauled over the course of his life. There is no word on whether the door is open for something between the two sides down the line, but Barkley has said he would probably leave broadcasting when his current contract with Turner is up in two years because “I don’t want to die on TV.”