TNT to extend contracts of 'Inside the NBA' studio team
Charles Barkley joins the crowd before the start of the welterweight championship bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao on Saturday, May 2, 2015, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP
TNT announced at its "upfront" presentation to advertisers Wednesday morning that each member of its popular "Inside the NBA" studio team has signed a multi-year contract extension.
The news came as a mild surprise because Charles Barkley, the panel's biggest star, had been saying in recent years that he was mulling retiring when his current contract runs out in 2016. He said last fall he was leaning heavily in that direction.
But he also acknowledged he might change his mind and go for an even 20 years at the network, which he joined in 2000 after retiring as a player.
Barkley's cast-mates are Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O'Neal.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
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