Many long-time NBA fans have been agonizing over Charles Barkley for quite some time now. The former Phoenix Suns star has long been a fixture of the critically-acclaimed âInside the NBAâ show. Recently, though, talks about Barkley potentially joining the budding LIV Golf league have started to surface. The ex-player's recent comments seemed to indicate that a switch was coming.
Now, he has made his final decision. Charles Barkley will be staying with the boys Shaq, Ernie and Kenny in âInside the NBAâ, abandoning the LIV Golf offer. This brings a big sigh of relief both to the TNT company and the general NBA fanbase. Chuck talked about his decision to stay in his statement here. (via ClutchPoints)
Charles Barkley's rumored move to LIV Golf came at roughly the same time when players like Bryson DeChambeau ditched the PGA. Based on the traction surrounding the new tournament, it seemed like it was a foregone conclusion that Chuck would be leaving the NBA nest. In the end, though, it's a good thing that Barkley stayed in-house.
The LIV Golf tournament has been much-maligned by both sports and non-sports ties. The tournament's ties to Saudi Arabia are the biggest criticism, considering their history of human rights violations. Had Charles Barkley joined LIV Golf, it would've been a black mark on his image amongst NBA fans.
Charles Barkley first built his name in the NBA as a bonafide star during his heyday. After his retirement, Chuck's next big break was joining the âInside the NBAâ crew as an analyst. There, his comedic timing was showcased to the world, as he helped build arguably the greatest sports show in history.