TNT’s ‘Inside the NBA’ Faces Uncertain Future as NBA Media Rights Shift

The 2024-25 NBA season marks a significant milestone and potentially the end of an era for TNT‘s award-winning studio show, ‘Inside the NBA.’ As the NBA enters its final year under the current media rights deal, the future of TNT’s involvement with the league is uncertain. The NBA has secured an 11-year agreement with Amazon, Disney, and NBC Universal starting in the 2025-26 season, which means Warner Bros. Discovery, formerly Turner Sports, has lost its bid to retain the NBA rights.

This development casts a shadow over the future of ‘Inside the NBA,’ a show that has been a staple of NBA coverage for 35 seasons. The show, featuring Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O'Neal, is likely to cease in its current format as a pregame and postgame show on TNT. However, there is a possibility that the crew could remain together for a similar show, albeit not necessarily tied to NBA broadcasts. Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith have expressed interest in continuing the show in some form, emphasizing the importance of keeping the team together.

Despite the ongoing litigation between Warner Bros. Discovery and the NBA, the expectation is that this will be the final season for NBA basketball on TNT and ‘Inside the NBA’ as we know it. TNT will still cover significant events this season, including marquee matchups, the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend, and the Eastern Conference Finals. The opening night of the 2024-25 season will be celebrated in Boston with a festive event at City Hall Plaza, marking TNT’s 29th consecutive NBA Opening Night.

Charles Barkley is set to remain with Warner Bros. Discovery, commenting on other sports properties such as March Madness, NHL, MLB, golf, and possibly U.S. soccer. However, for NBA fans, this season will be a nostalgic farewell to ‘Inside the NBA’ in its current form.