Charles Barkley Is Daring ESPN To Fire Him

Charles Barkley. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Charles Barkley Is Daring ESPN To Fire Him

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Orlando Silva | Last updated Jun 10, 2026 8:33 PM ET

NBA legend turned analyst Charles Barkley dared ESPN to fire him after he went viral. The 1993 MVP joined the worldwide leader with the rest of the cast of “Inside the NBA,” bringing their wild comments with them.

On Monday, Barkley made an out-of-pocket comment about rapper Cardi B, who performed in Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals. When the network showed a clip of the rapper, Barkley went off.

“I don’t know if those [are] Bs,” Barkley called out from off-camera about her appearance. “They might be Cardi Ds… I’m pretty sure those aren’t Bs… She’s got the wrong initials.”

The clip has gone viral since that moment, and many wondered whether this could affect Barkley’s job.

Charles Barkley Dares ESPN To Fire Him

Charles Barkley (Image Credits: Imagn)

The Hall of Famer addressed the situation during an appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show,” saying that he’s not losing sleep over the possibility of being fired.

“I’m hoping they fire me,” Barkley said. “I got six or seven years left on my contract that they know I’ve 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.”

“I would love to get fired, I’m not gonna lie. Because there’s zero chance I’m gonna be working the next six or seven years, zero!”

“Come on, man. People can’t take a joke? They can kiss my ass. I appreciate all the support I’ve gotten all these years, but if anybody thinks everybody likes them, they’re a fool. So if people don’t like me or don’t have a sense of humor, they can kiss my ass.”

"Dan, you know I'm hoping they fire me. I got 6 or 7 years left on my contract that they know I've got no chance of doing. I would love for them to fire me and have to pay me for the next 6 or 7 years."

– Charles Barkley on his "Cardi D's" comment pic.twitter.com/0tc5GYv3s8
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) June 10, 2026

Barkley and Co. will be back in the building for Game 4. The Knicks hope to take a commanding 3-1 lead that will put them one step closer to the NBA championship.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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