Charles Barkley Trolled for Taking Day Off From Television After Major ESPN Rant

Kenny Smith takes a wild shot at Charles Barkley's absence on Inside the NBA.

Charles Barkley Trolled for Taking Day Off From Television After Major ESPN Rant

Charles Barkley (Image credits - Firstsportz)

Inside the NBA hosted by Ernie Johnson, joined on set by three analysts and former NBA players: Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal, and Charles Barkley. It is a halftime and postgame studio show that has been airing since 1989. Often rated among the best sports shows on American television, the show has won 19 Sports Emmy Awards over its history.

Former NBA star Charles Barkley joined the show as an analyst in 2000. Barkley is well known for his trolling and, along with O’Neal, is known for engaging in humorous banters, arguments, and silly bets, which have led to the duo being huge fan-favorites of the show.

Barkley, who now lives in the state of Arizona, never shies away from expressing his opinions. The unfiltered analyst recently made headlines for calling out ESPN over scheduling issues. He was unhappy that the Inside the NBA show made only four appearances in three months.

Last season, it was thought the show had come to an end after TNT decided not to invest billions in the NBA. TNT was the broadcaster of the show since its inception in 1989. But to everyone’s delight, they reached an agreement with ESPN to continue broadcasting the show through the latter’s network.

It was later revealed that Inside the NBA will first start with a 30-minute run. That is down from the usual 50-minute stretch they used to enjoy on TNT.

It is not often that Kenny Smith is seen taking shots at others. The former champion is usually on the receiving end of Barkley’s trolling and jokes. But on Saturday night, Smith poked fun at his co-host for his absence.

How can you complain about not being on television enough and then take a day off when we’re on television? Two weeks! We don’t work enough. We’re not on TV enough. They’re not seeing us enough.

Sacramento Kings legend Chris Webber replaced Barkley on Saturday night. Barkley’s unavailability surprised several viewers, as there was no prior announcement of his absence. It is not expected to be a lengthy absence, but it is funny considering Barkley went on a rant criticizing the scheduling just two weeks ago.

Kenny Smith signs separate deal for ESPN appearances

With very few appearances since the start of the 2025-26 campaign, viewers were left unhappy over the scheduling of the Inside the NBA show and not being able to see their favorite co-hosts. However, the show has made multiple appearances since Barkley’s statements.

The schedule is expected to increase as the season progresses. With the NFL season coming to an end and the NBA approaching the postseason, fans will expect to see much more of Barkley and his crew.

Kenny Smith
Kenny Smith (Image Credits – MSN)

But fans will be seeing more of Smith in the coming months. It was announced that Smith has signed a multiyear agreement with ESPN that will allow him to announce games and make appearances on episodes of First Take.

He already made a special appearance on “NBA Countdown” on November 5 and will serve as an analyst for select NBA games. While the specifics of the deal remain unclear, NBA fans will be delighted to hear a lot more insights from the former two-time champion.

Kenny Smith does not believe in the Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers recorded a close 105-99 victory over the Golden State Warriors at the Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night. The Lakers extended their winning streak to three games and sit at fifth place in the Western Conference standings with a 32-19 record.

On Inside the NBA, it is usually Barkley who is seen poking fun at the Lakers. But this time, it was Smith who took the honors.

They don’t have any flies in the picnic. You eat in peace at the offensive end, I don’t think you can do after the first round. You have to be able to stop people. Their perimeter and transition defense is weak.

Despite their impressive record, many still do not view the Lakers as championship contenders. While they arguably have the best offensive backcourt in Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves, their defense has been a major concern throughout the season.

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