Former NBS all-star Charles Barkley ‘would love’ for ESPN to fire him after his comments about Cardi B

Charles Barkley is openly daring his bosses to let him go after his recent unfiltered comments about Cardi B. On a Wednesday appearance on Fox Sports Radio, Fox News reported that he joked about his contract status with ESPN. “I’m hoping they fire me,” Barkley said. “I got six or seven years left on my contract that they know I got no chance of doing. I would love for them to fire me and have to pay me for the next six or seven years.”

This past Monday, Cardi B performed at the halftime show in Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. Mid performance, Barkley is recorded saying, “I don’t know if those are B’s. They might be Cardi D’s,” before adding, “I’m pretty sure those aren’t B’s. She’s got the wrong initials.”

Per the New York Post, Barkley expressed the same wish and told Dan Patrick in his titular show that management hadn’t reached out to him regarding the viral clip. He also hit back at anyone who might have an issue with his commentary. “People can’t take a joke?” he said. “They can kiss my a–. I appreciate all the support I’ve gotten all these years, but if anybody thinks like them, they’re a fool. So if people don’t like me or don’t have a sense of humor, they can kiss my a–.”

Per reports, ESPN will not let go of Charles Barkley

It’s worth noting that, per Fox News, Barkley’s desire to get fired isn’t exactly a new sentiment. He has been talking about retirement for over a decade, yet he remains one of the most consistent voices in sports media. Even when he jokes about wanting to be let go, he seems to genuinely enjoy his work on Inside the NBA. 

This show is currently serving as the studio program for the NBA Finals on ABC. Interestingly, it is a TNT production that ESPN licenses without having editorial control.

For years, ESPN struggled to find the right chemistry for its pregame and halftime shows. The network went through a revolving door of talent, including Magic Johnson, Michael Wilbon, Stephen A. Smith, Bill Simmons, and Jalen Rose. 

Fox reports that they also tried various hosts, such as Sage Steele, Michele Beadle, Maria Taylor, and Malika Andrews, but none of the combinations quite captured the magic that TNT had built.

Fox noted that the landscape changed when TNT opted not to renew its NBA rights after the 2025 season. This allowed ESPN to license Inside the NBA, and the result has been a massive improvement for their coverage of the NBA Finals. Barkley is reportedly one of the reasons for that success. 

Additionally, the show led to a massive boost in ESPN’s ratings and viewer satisfaction. Thus, both Fox and the NY Post note that it’s highly unlikely that any jokes about Cardi B or the “big ol’ women of San Antonio” will actually result in him losing his job.

At 63, Barkley is reportedly at a point in his career where he values his freedom to speak his mind. He has even spent much of this season complaining that ESPN hasn’t been working him enough. 

Fox noted that despite his jokes about getting fired, he seems to enjoy his work. The outlet also stated that ESPN seems to recognize that his personality is exactly what they’ve been missing since the chemistry of the current crew is working better than anything they’ve produced in over a decade. 

Barkley wasn’t the only commentator who went viral for their comments around Game 3, with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith responding to a comment made by President Trump regarding IQ. Also, the 2nd Game brought a different kind of viral moment when a TikToker posted a video about the alleged harassment her disabled client faced during the game.