Charles Barkley trolls ESPN after technical issues with Shams Charania
With Charles Barkley and the rest of the “Inside the NBA” crew are back on the air for ESPN after a long absence, basketball fans can expect the NBA legend to provide even more hilarious clips.
Of course, the former NBA MVP is once again the gift that keeps on giving in front of the cameras.
On Wednesday, Charles Barkley lashed out at ESPN after an NBA insider Shams Charania called off the technical issue while speaking with the Inside the NBA crew.
Charania managed to get a few words across before his screen went on air, giving Barkley instant material for mocking the world leader in sports.
“ESPN pays your bills, man … I know times are tough,” Barkley said.
You can watch the hilarious moment here:
“ESPN pay your bills man… I know times are tough”
Charles Barkley after Shams Charania’s feed was interrupted on the pre-match show 💀
(via @ESPNNBA)pic.twitter.com/tnVT9bnjLD
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 28, 2026
Not getting anything meaningful from Charania due to a technical issue, Kenny Smith tried to fill the gap by talking about Charania’s hair and even background decorations.
It doesn’t take much for Barkley, Smith, Ernie Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal to work out a theme, so dead air has always been the least of their show’s problems. For what it’s worth, unexpected events like the one they just had with Charania while live on air are probably where they shine the most.
Barkley’s trolling of ESPN also came on the heels of voicing his displeasure on the frequency of Inside NBA appearancesbecause he thinks that the company is underutilizing the show.
2026-01-29 00:36:00
