With the NBA parting ways with TNT after the 2024/25 season, the future of the Inside the NBA crew is up in the air. Fans are curious about Shaquille O’Neal and his colleagues’ next move, hoping for the show’s continuation. Amidst the question marks, comedian George Wallace predicted that the panel would stick together.
Advertisement
On The Big Podcast with Shaq, the 72-year-old praised the show while admiring the comedic timing of O’Neal and Charles Barkley. The podcast’s co-host, Adam Lefkoe, immediately sided with Wallace. The 37-year-old admitted to intentionally delaying commercial breaks as a fill-in host on Inside the NBA to watch the rest of the crew playfully take jabs at each other.
Wallace promptly pointed out how this dynamic set the show apart from its competitors. He consequently believed the humor and chemistry between the panelists could make it successful on any platform. Pointing to these elements as the reason for the show’s longevity, the comedian told Lefkoe,
“.. You’re laughing ’cause they are having fun too… and the laughter is contagious… Man, these guys are gonna be working forever. They won’t be at TNT but they gonna be somewhere. They gonna be at ESPN or somewhere. They gonna be working”.
These remarks rightly mentioned what set the show apart. While most studio shows rely on heated debates to drive viewership, Inside the NBA has become renowned for discussing ongoing matters with a touch of humor. Furthermore, a crew consisting of Hall of Famers and NBA champions adds to its credibility and uniqueness.
As a result, even if the panel moves to a different platform, they are likely to maintain this consistency. However, there remains uncertainty about whether they are even seeking a change.
What’s next for the Inside crew?
Shortly after news of the NBA’s potential split from TNT surfaced, the future of Inside the NBA went into jeopardy. The panel and staff were left in limbo as the network’s owners didn’t provide a clear vision for their future.
This prompted Barkley to raise question marks over the show in late May 2024. On SiriusXM NBA Radio, he emphasized with his colleagues while discussing his future, stating, “It sucks right now the people I work with… I know Ernie [Johnson] would not go anywhere else… I’m damn sure about that but I would listen before I made any decisions”.
“I just don’t know know. Ernie would not go to another network, I’m damn sure about that…I would listen…”
— Charles Barkley on moving to Amazon, NBC or ESPN
pic.twitter.com/GUe9zEhFEN— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) May 22, 2024
In the subsequent months, Shaq and Kenny Smith also showed considerable interest in exploring options with other networks. With Amazon and ESPN reportedly competing for the rights to Inside the NBA, the crew may reunite after leaving TNT in 2025. However, the show will probably no longer be hosted by Ernie Johnson, marking an abrupt end to their remarkable journey together.
