Longtime fans of Inside the NBA know that Charles Barkley really loves hockey. Barkley has never been shy about how much he enjoys the sport, and when TNT wants him to read an ad for a game they’re broadcasting later in the week, he lights up and gets the job done.
Well, ESPN is broadcasting the NHL and the NBA right now, as both leagues are trying to determine a champion. As such, Barkley has nothing to do, so he went onto ABC between Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers. Right away, the tenuous future of Inside the NBA came up when ESPN’s Steve Levy called Barkley “the newest member of ESPN’s NBA coverage.” Instead of diving in, though, Chuck told a terrific story about how Mark Messier owes him $5,000.
Barkley's story about meeting Mark Messier 😂
📺 2nd period NOW on ABC/ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/ZFTVskUPB7
— ESPN (@espn) June 11, 2024
The segment went on, and in classic Chuck fashion, he took an opportunity to make fun of Shaq and ran with it.
Give us 15 minutes of just Charles Barkley during the intermission, it's what's needed#StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/NAVb9DXZGQ
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) June 11, 2024
Is it frustrating to watch a fun show involving an NBA player on ESPN during a lengthy break in a championship game and for it to not happen during the NBA Finals? A little, but ultimately, we got some good Charles Barkley content after TNT’s obligations for the season came to an end, so we’ll take it.
