Shaquille O’Neal’s Future Uncertain as ‘Inside the NBA’ Moves to ESPN

ATLANTA, Ga. — As the beloved basketball show ‘Inside the NBA’ prepares for its final season on TNT, NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal captured attention with a bold, X-rated outburst during the All-Star break broadcast. This surprising moment comes as the show transitions to ESPN and ABC after a new TV rights deal was struck, leaving fans concerned for its future.

‘Inside the NBA,’ hosted by Ernie Johnson and featuring notable analysts Kenny Smith and O’Neal, has been a staple in sports entertainment since its inception for the 1989-90 season. Over the years, the show amassed 19 Emmy Awards, solidifying its status as one of the great sports studio shows in television history. However, with the recent changes, its future format under ESPN remains uncertain.

O’Neal’s comments took center stage during a live show in San Francisco. After racing to a video board, he returned to his desk and exclaimed, “In the words of Marshawn Lynch, ‘I’m tired as s***,'” eliciting a stunned silence followed by laughter from his co-hosts.

“We getting fired anyway, Ernie, f*** it!” he added, highlighting the ongoing instability around the show’s future. While Johnson is confirmed to return next season, O’Neal’s contract status is unclear, with much speculation surrounding his next move.

The NBA’s recent agreements with networks like NBC, ESPN/ABC, and Amazon mean TNT will no longer air live games, leading to questions about which analysts will remain with the show. Although ESPN has secured the rights to ‘Inside the NBA,’ the new format and hosting lineup are still in flux.

O’Neal, a four-time NBA champion, has expressed a desire to stay with ‘Inside the NBA,’ although this was before the significant shifts in broadcasting rights. His co-host Charles Barkley has also had a public fallout over contract negotiations, saying, “The TNT people, they’re stupid,” in an interview with current radio host Dan Patrick.

Barkley’s frustration stems from internal conflicts over availability agreements as his contract negotiations continue. “We were having some heated discussions down in Atlanta,” he said, highlighting the tension over the new TV deals.

Amid the uncertainty, ESPN is reportedly committed to retaining the current line-up of analysts, including Barkley, Johnson, Smith, and O’Neal. However, getting everyone on board for the next chapter of ‘Inside the NBA’ involves intricate negotiations.