FILE – Charles Barkley attends the NBA Awards ceremony at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, on June 24, 2019. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

by JOE REEDY

AP Sports Writer

Charles Barkley plans to stay with TNT Sports for the remainder of his contract.

The Hall of Famer announced Tuesday that he will not retire next season, a reversal from his statement he made during the NBA Finals in June.

Barkley said at the time that the 2024-25 season would be his last on television, regardless of what happened in the NBA’s media deal negotiations. He signed a 10-year contract extension with TNT Sports in 2022.

TNT Sports parent Warner Bros. Discovery has filed a lawsuit against the NBA in New York state court after the company rejected a matching offer for one of the packages in its new 11-year media rights deal that begins with the 2025-26 season.

“I love my TNT Sports family. My (number one) priority has always been and will always be our people and keeping everyone together for as long as possible. We have the most incredible people and they are the best at what they do. I look forward to continuing to work with them on both the shows we have now and the new shows we develop together in the future. This is the only place for me,” Barkley said in a statement: “I have to say… I’ve been impressed by the leadership team for fighting hard and being aggressive in bringing new features to TNT Sports, and I’m very excited about it. I’m grateful to them and all of my colleagues for their continued support, and most importantly, to our fans. I’ll do my best to entertain them for years to come.”

Prior to Tuesday’s announcement, ESPN/ABC, NBC and Amazon Prime Video were expected to attempt to court Barkley. “Inside the NBA” Host Ernie Johnson also said he plans to stay on TNT, but the futures of Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith remain uncertain.

Barkley joined TNT in 2000 and became the iconic “Inside the NBA” Barkley, who has won 21 Sports Emmy Awards and is a model for studio shows, received his fifth Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Studio Analyst in May.

It’s unclear what Barkley’s future holds without the NBA on TNT. Turner has had an NBA package since 1984, and games have aired on TNT since the network launched in 1988.

However, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said during an RBC Investor Conference in November 2022 that Turner and WBD “No need for the NBA.”

TNT Sports also broadcasts the NHL and NCAA men’s basketball tournament on CBS. It recently added the College Football Playoffs, Big East basketball, NASCAR and the French Open.

“Charles is one of the best and most beloved sportscasters in television history. I know I speak on behalf of the entire TNT Sports family when I say we are incredibly excited to share this mutual commitment to continue showcasing Charles’ unique talents and entertaining fans well into the future.” TNT Sports Chairman and CEO Luis Silberwasser said in a statement: “We continue to grow the breadth and depth of our sports portfolio and it’s great to have Charles along for the ride as we develop new content ideas and shows for our fans.”

Barkley was the co-host of the program “King Charles” A weekly talk show on CNN “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King. But the limited-run series ended in April after six months.