Barkley sets return to NBA telecasts

NEW YORK, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Charles Barkley will be back on the air as an NBA analyst soon after TNT televises the NBA All-Star Game in Phoenix, a Turner Sports executive said.

Citing a report in the Sports Business Journal, ESPN reported Monday night that Barkley -- who was arrested in Scottsdale, Ariz., Dec. 31 in a drunken driving case -- would conclude a suspension from his role as a TNT analyst after the all-star festivities have concluded this weekend, culminating with the All-Star game Sunday.

Barkley, a former NBA star and a member of the Hall of Fame, reportedly had a blood-alcohol level of .149 when he was arrested -- almost twice the legal limit of .08 in Arizona.

The Sports Business Journal quoted Turner Sports President David Levy as saying he had not decided on a specific date for Barkley to return to "Inside the NBA," the pre- and post-game studio show on which he appears.

"It wasn't a hard decision for me to give him some time off to get his legal matters straight and to get his personal life in order," Levy said. "The question is, when is the right time to bring him back? There is no magic answer to that. It's just a gut feel."