Basketball legend Charles Barkley to exit ‘Inside the NBA,’ slams cancel culture and social justice warriors

Basketball legend Charles Barkley announced he will be leaving TNT’s Inside the NBA after decades of hosting the show and blamed cancel culture for his departure.

Appearing on Washington sports-radio station WJFK, 106.7 The Fan, Barkley lambasted social justice warriors for creating online attacks while slamming his boss and co-hosts for refusing to standup against the radical left mob, according to the Washington Times.

"It’s gotten so out of hand right now, I couldn’t imagine having to watch myself. You can’t even have fun nowadays without these jackasses trying to get you canceled and things like that," Barkley expressed. He said that he will remain on the show for two more years and that management can "kiss my a-s" when he departs.

"[I’m] just having fun, talking about sports. I’m trying to hang on for another couple years until I’m 60, and then they can kiss my ass. I’m only working until 60. I’ve already told them that. We can’t even have fun any more. We’ve had fun all these years, and now all of a sudden in the last year and a half, everybody’s trying to get everybody fired, and it really sucks," Barkley said.

The Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns legend said the fear of cancel culture has started a rift between co-hosts and it’s nearly impossible to have fun or joke around because everyone is too concerned cancel culture will come for them.

"All we ever talk about behind the scenes now is, 'Yo man, be careful going in this direction.' We can’t even have fun any more," Barkley said. "A lot of our bosses are cowards," he added, mentioning an old iconic joke he makes about San Antonio women and how they should "ease up on them churros."

"They won’t even let me talk about San Antonio any more! You know, when I’m always talking about them big ol' women down in San Antonio?" he said, referring to a city he played in where fans would notoriously taunt him.

Barkley told the radio hosts that he "didn’t call anybody personally fat in San Antonio, I was just joking around. One lady wrote this article, you’re gonna let one lady [cancel the joke] – we’ve been having fun with this for 10, 15 years."

Barkley is known for speaking his mind and not holding back when he does so.

In early April, the former NBA great slammed American politicians for race-baiting and divisive rhetoric. "Man, I think most white people and black people are great people," Barkley said. "I really believe that in my heart. But I think our system is set up where our politicians, whether they are Republicans or Democrats, are designed to make us not like each other so they can keep their grasp of money and power. They divide and conquer."

"I truly believe in my heart most white people and black people are awesome people. But we're so stupid, following our politicians, whether they are Republicans or Democrats. And their only job is 'Hey, let's make these people not like each other,'" Barkley said.

The NBA legend slamming cancel culture, comes at the same time NBA player and woke activist LeBron James frequently participates in cancel culture through anti-police activism, which Barkley has strongly criticized.

During an NBA broadcast last Fall, Barkley said, "Who are black folks supposed to call, Ghostbusters?" regarding the idea of defunding the police.

Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neill were the only two hosts that defended the verdict in the Breonna Taylor trial, commented the important fact that Taylor’s boyfriend shot at the cops first which lead them to return fire.

"I feel sad that this young lady lost her life. I think the no-knock warrant is something we need to get rid of across the board. But we do have to take into account that her boyfriend shot at the cops and shot a cop. I don't think this one was like George Floyd or Ahmaud Arbery and things like that," Barkley said.