{
  "id": 12695907,
  "title": "Shaquille O’Neal on Charles Barkley Retiring: ‘I Don’t Believe That’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/shaquille-oneal-on-charles-barkley-retiring-i-dont-believe-that-12695907",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-07T19:31:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Front Office Sports",
    "slug": "front-office-sports",
    "url": "https://frontofficesports.com/article/shaquille-oneal-charles-barkley-retiring-dont-believe/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Charles Barkley recently declared that his upcoming season on Inside the NBA will be his final one on the show, sparking skepticism from his fellow studio guest Shaquille O'Neal. O'Neal told Front Office Sports Tonight's Bridget Condon, \"Once somebody taught Charles how to go viral, it was over,\" expressing his lack of belief in the retirement announcement. O'Neal's skepticism is not unfounded, as Barkley has a track record of making retirement claims only to return to the show. The most recent example came during the 2024 playoffs, when Barkley announced his final season would be the following one amid uncertainty surrounding TNT losing its portion of the league's rights package. Barkley returned when TNT reached an agreement to license the show to ESPN, leading to plans for an expanded schedule with 25 appearances and more early-season games. Despite Barkley's initial retirement announcement, he later confirmed on The Bill Simmons Podcast that he would follow suit if Ernie Johnson, the longtime host, also retired. O'Neal's response to Condon was firm: \"No,\" he didn't believe Barkley's announced retirement, and he criticized Barkley's stance on the show's future, saying, \"Charles, shut your face,\" before praising ESPN.",
  "summary": "Barkley has walked back retirement plans before, most recently in 2024.",
  "key_points": [
    "Shaquille O'Neal doubts Charles Barkley's retirement claim.",
    "Barkley has made false retirement announcements before.",
    "O'Neal criticized Barkley's stance on the show's future."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Shaquille O’Neal on Charles Barkley Retiring: ‘I Don’t Believe That’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/shaquille-oneal-on-charles-barkley-retiring-i-dont-believe-that",
        "published": "2026-10-07T19:31:23.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}