Barkley Discusses NBA Schedule Complaints

Charles Barkley expressed his thoughts about the NBA schedule on “Inside the NBA,” mentioning he has been a bit vocal, or maybe “complained” is the right word, about it. He pointed out that the show, alongside his co-hosts Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson, has only aired four times on ESPN over the past three months. “I don’t really like that at all,” Barkley said.

Looking ahead, he noted that “Inside the NBA” is set to air on January 24, January 28, and January 31. “So, I guess they’re starting to catch up,” he said. However, he recalled, “We only worked one day in December—Christmas, actually. I really wish there had been more work.” He added, “The ESPN staff’s been great, but I think everyone will see more once the schedule fills up later in the season.”

As a light-hearted aside, Barkley joked that if he were to get fired for calling a colleague “idiot, punk, idiot, idiot,” he would still need to be compensated for the remaining seven years of his contract. “I’m totally retired, but if I do something a little silly and they have to let me go, they’re stuck paying me seven years’ worth of salary,” he quipped.

The show “Inside the NBA” features coverage of major live events on ESPN and ABC, including pregame, halftime, and postgame segments for the NBA Finals, Conference Finals, and NBA Playoffs.