TNT's iconic talk show, Inside the NBA, will reportedly be headed to ESPN and ABC following the end of this season after the original network lost the rights to the NBA over the summer. The update comes after fans have worried for months that this will be the final season with Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson all together to cover the league. Both Alex Sherman of CNBC and Joe Flint of The Wall Street Journal have confirmed the news as of Saturday night.
"Can confirm WBD has reached a settlement with the NBA," Sherman wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "Inside the NBA will continue and be licensed to ESPN. All the talent will remain TNT Sports employees and can be used in other future shows or projects for warner bros Disocvery. [sic]"
Shaquille O'Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, & Charles Barkley Speak During The NBA Awards
Charles Barkley has been particularly vocal about his disappointment regarding TNT's loss of the rights to broadcast the NBA. "Clearly, the NBA has wanted to break up with us from the beginning. I'm not sure TNT ever had a chance. TNT matched the money, but the league knows Amazon and these tech companies are the only ones willing to pay for the rights when they double in the future. The NBA didn't want to piss them off," he said in a statement from earlier this year, as caught by Bleacher Report. "It's a sad day when owners and commissioners choose money over the fans."
"Inside The NBA" Will Continue On A New Network
Fans were also very vocally disappointed by the originally presumed loss of Inside The NBA. Now, however, they're ecstatic. "This is FREAKING MAJOR … but I'm waiting to read the fine print," one user on X wrote in response to the new report. Another added: "INSIDE THE NBA IS STAYING LETS GOOO." Check out Alex Sherman's report about Inside The NBA below.
[Via]