February 16, 2025
Shaq Inks Long-Term Deal To Keep ‘Inside The NBA’ Together
Ahead of the deal, one of O'Neal's co-hosts Charles Barkley, indicated that he was going to commit to staying with TNT.
Shaquille O’Neal, one of the cornerstones of the long-running Inside The NBA television program, reportedly signed a long-term deal worth $15 million a year that will, at least as long as the program is optioned to ESPN, keep all of the show’s members at Turner Sports, the sports arm of TNT.
According to Front Office Sports, the length of O’Neal’s deal was not reported, but it allows TNT to pull off a trade, of sorts, to keep its most popular program on the air.
In exchange for a package of Big 12 college football and basketball games, ESPN gets the license to carry the show since TNT was excluded from the NBA’s new TV deal in favor of NBC and Amazon.
Ahead of the deal, one of O’Neal’s co-hosts, Charles Barkley, indicated to Ernie Johnson Jr., the glue of the Inside The NBA program, on the podcast they share, Steam Room, that he was committing to staying with TNT.
“I’m informing NBC that I will not accept their offer,” Barkley said. “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.”
According to Front Office Sports, Kenny “The Jet” Smith and Johnson are also expected to sign multi-year deals to remain with TNT, which would allay the fear that gripped NBA fans when it was announced that TNT would not be receiving a new deal as an NBA media rights partner. Instead of disappearing for good, the company’s most popular show will remain in the NBA family.
Per Yahoo Sports, however, what is expected to change is how often the group is on television. What was once a weekly show will now be broadcast around marquee events in the NBA’s calendar, including the NBA Finals for the first time.
According to a November press release from ESPN, “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.”
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