TNT NBA studio analyst Charles Barkley, who provides analysis on the Emmy-Award winning Inside the NBA studio show alongside Emmy-winning host Ernie Johnson and co-analyst Kenny ‘The Jet’ Smith, has agreed to a multi-year contract extension. As part of the agreement Barkley will continue to work exclusively for the network on TNT NBA Thursdays, TNT’s 40 games. 40 night’s playoff schedule, NBA All-Star Weekend and the network’s exclusive Conference Finals coverage. With the new agreement, which begins with the 2008-09 NBA season, the 2006 Basketball Hall of Famer inductee will also make a number of appearances on the jointly managed NBA TV.
“Charles is one of the most engaging personalities in sports and entertainment today, and we are proud to that he will continue to call TNT his television home for a number of years to come,” said David Levy, president of Turner Broadcasting Sales, Inc. and Turner Sports. “As we embark on exciting new challenges next season with NBA TV, we look forward to relaunching the network next season featuring numerous appearances by one of our signature announcers.”
Barkley is in his eighth season as an NBA analyst for TNT, having played 16 seasons in the NBA before retiring following the 1999-2000 season. He was an 11-time NBA All-Star, 1993 NBA League MVP, two-time Olympic gold medal winner (1992, 1996) and was voted one the 50 greatest players in NBA history.
