Barkley taking leave of absence from his TV job

-- Charles Barkley is taking a leave of absence from the broadcast booth.

Turner Sports made the announcement today, hours after police said Barkley -- an analyst for the TNT network and a former NBA star -- was legally drunk when he was arrested Dec. 31 on suspicion of drunken driving in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Test results show Barkley, 45, had a blood-alcohol level at .149, nearly twice the legal limit of .08 in Arizona.

Barkley will be off the air for a minimum of several weeks, and no return date has been set, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. The person requested anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss it.

Barkley was stopped by a DUI task force officer shortly after he left a popular nightclub about 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 31. He failed field sobriety tests but was cooperative, police said.

He was booked and released at a field command post. Later, he issued a statement saying he was disappointed he put himself in that situation.

"When I spoke with Charles, he was apologetic for the events that transpired and it was obvious he understood the significance of this situation," said David Levy, president of Turner Sports, said in a statement. "This is an important time for Charles as he deals with the legal and personal issues that confront him. Charles is a valued part of the Turner Sports organization, and we are concerned for his well-being."

Barkley's attorney was not immediately available for comment Friday.

Barkley played 16 seasons in the NBA for the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets. He was Most the league's 1993 MVP and was an 11-time All Star.