February 16th 2025.
Shaquille O'Neal, the beloved cornerstone of the long-running television program Inside The NBA, has reportedly signed a lucrative long-term deal worth a staggering $15 million a year. This deal, which is said to be valid for as long as the program is optioned to ESPN, will ensure that all members of the show remain with Turner Sports, the sports arm of TNT.
According to a report by Front Office Sports, the exact length of O'Neal's contract was not disclosed. However, it does allow TNT to execute a trade of sorts in order to keep its most popular program on air. As part of this agreement, ESPN will receive a package of Big 12 college football and basketball games, while also obtaining the license to carry the show. This was necessary as TNT was excluded from the NBA's new TV deal, which ultimately went to NBC and Amazon.
In a recent episode of the podcast Steam Room that he shares with Ernie Johnson Jr., the glue of the Inside The NBA program, O'Neal's co-host Charles Barkley made it clear that he is committed to staying with TNT. "I'm informing NBC that I will not accept their offer," Barkley stated. "I'm gonna cancel future meetings with Amazon...My heart is always and will be at Turner Sports. I'm hoping this thing comes together and I can stay with TNT and ESPN."
Front Office Sports also reported that Kenny "The Jet" Smith, as well as Johnson, are expected to sign multi-year deals with TNT, putting to rest the fear that gripped NBA fans when it was first announced that TNT would not be receiving a new deal as an NBA media rights partner. Instead of disappearing for good, the popular show will continue to entertain and inform fans as part of the NBA family.
However, there will be some changes in store for the Inside The NBA team. As reported by Yahoo Sports, the show will no longer be a weekly program, but will instead be broadcast around marquee events in the NBA calendar. This includes, for the first time, the NBA Finals. According to a press release from ESPN in November, "TNT Sports will continue to independently produce Inside the NBA from its Atlanta-based studios over the term of the agreement. The legendary 'Inside the NBA' studio team will appear on ESPN and ABC surrounding high-profile live events, including ESPN's pregame, halftime and postgame coverage of the NBA Finals on ABC, conference finals, NBA playoffs, all ABC games after January 1, Christmas Day, opening week, the final week of the season and other marquee live events."
In a related development, ESPN has also announced that they will be broadcasting 'Inside the NBA' as part of a new partnership with the NBA. This move is sure to delight fans, who can now look forward to even more coverage and analysis from their favorite team of analysts.
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