The 2025-26 season will usher in a new era of NBA media, as one of the sport’s most beloved shows, Inside the NBA, gears up for its move to ESPN. With the shift to a new network, some changes are expected, with its stars expected to adjust to them. Shaquille O’Neal, one of its hosts, should not have a problem with that, according to what his co-host Charles Barkley revealed recently.
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Barkley, O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson have captivated NBA fans for more than three decades with their unfiltered and insightful program. The two Hall of Famers in particular have taken the show to new heights and become fan favorites in the process.
Funnily enough, Shaq faced a bit of a learning curve when he first joined. But not the kind you would expect. Barkley explained the early growing pains they experienced with The Diesel when he came on board in 2011. The Philadelphia 76ers legend broke it down during a recent appearance on The Smylie Show.
“The only problem with Shaq was…the first show, Shaq does something crazy. Second show, Shaq does something crazy. The third show, Shaq does something crazy. We only three weeks into the season. It’s still October. We had to have a team meeting like, ‘Yo man, what are you doing?’ He’s like, ‘I want to entertain people.’ I know, we want to entertain people, but we’re only on show three, but we got six-seven more months to go,” stated Barkley.
Barkley tried to emphasize to Shaq that he “can’t keep doing crazy stuff every night” because he would run out of ideas too quickly. In fact, Kenny, Ernie, and Barkley eventually turned it into a running joke about how over-the-top O’Neal’s antics could get.
“How many shows before he sets himself on fire? We started laughing. We told him, ‘At the rate you’re going, you’re about six shows before you set yourself on fire. ‘Yo man, we’re not trying to keep escalating. It’s impossible to go crazy for all these months,” added Barkley.
O’Neal may have a reputation for being a dominant force on the hardwood and a well-read man with multiple degrees, but the Shaq-Fu Master is also a jokester. His ability to come up with pranks and bits daily is impressive, especially if you are not on the receiving end of them.
Fortunately, TNT — which aired the show until ESPN swooped in this year — stepped in at one point to pull back on one of Shaq’s ideas. The Los Angeles Lakers icon revealed in an old podcast that he originally wanted to be a black Bryan Gumbel for Inside the NBA. He wanted to emulate the famed sports broadcaster.
“But TNT said, ‘Motherf****r, we’ll fire your a*s tomorrow. Be you.’ And I think that’s what makes our show the best show out there. G14 classification—Barkley, Hall of Famer; Shaq, Hall of Famer; Kenny, two-time champion; Ernie, best analyst in the world,” Shaq said at the time.
That is exactly why Inside the NBA continues to resonate with fans year after year. It is not just the highlights, the breakdowns, or even the debates. It is the personalities, the laughter, and the genuine bond between the crew that keep people tuning in.
Shaq may have toned things down from his early “set himself on fire” days, but his playful energy is still a driving force of the show. With the 2025-26 season right around the corner, basketball may be the main event, but Inside the NBA will always be the ultimate afterparty. Still, just like in 2011, Shaq may have to adjust to new surroundings at ESPN, where his candid nature might not be fully appreciated.
