11 years after his retirement in 2021, Shaq appeared in an episode on The Marchand and Ourand podcast explaining his decision to choose TNT over ESPN. If Shaq had joined ESPN instead of TNT, he was expected to run a show independently, which was beyond his capacity then.
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If Shaq messed up in TNT, he would have a star cast of broadcasting veterans Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith to back him for his mistakes. Speaking about his decision to choose an alternate path as an analyst, the Big Man explained,
“Mr. Levy (David Levy, former Turner president) came in the house and he said, ‘We don’t need you, but we would like to have you.’ ESPN was saying, ‘We need you.’ So saying that if I have a bad day at TNT, I will be okay. But if I have a bad day at ESPN, it can only get worse.”
One of Shaq’s primary reasons for choosing TNT was to work alongside Ernie Johnson. The Diesel had immense love for the veteran sports broadcaster, who had once interviewed him when he was 17.
Shaq admitted that his ADHD would have conflicted with his ability to carry the show, which would have been disgraceful for the network. Sparing some kind words for Johnson, O’Neal added,
“I have a different type of love for Ernie Johnson. Ernie Johnson was a guy that I used to watch on TV. He actually came to my house when I was 17 years old and interviewed me. Love his voice, love how he treats people, and for me to be sitting by him, no one else can tell that story. I don’t think I’m the only guy that could tell that story. And it’s just an honor to be here with the guys.”
Though Shaq appears humble about his prowess as an analyst, he does know that his presence makes the Inside Show much more fun and popular. Shaq’s constant pranks on Charles Barkley and his incredible dynamics with Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson make this show one of the most loved and watched NBA postgame broadcast shows on TV networks.
Shaquille O’Neal shared his love for veteran sportscaster Ernie Johnson on his Instagram story
Shaq loves giving flowers to his loved ones on social media. He has often praised his fellow NBA colleagues, family, and other league partners on his IG stories. In one of his recent stories, the 4x NBA champion shared a post on Ernie Johnson, which claimed the veteran sportscaster to be the only guy with 0 haters in the basketball world. This shows the Diesel’s respectfulness and open mind towards his colleagues, never failing to appreciate them and the experience under their belt.
If we were to account for the other Inside cast’s opinions on ESPN, perhaps even Charles Barkley shares the same opinion as Shaquille O’Neal. However, given Chuck’s strong personality, he would rather express his take in a rather crass manner than the Diesel.
When Kenny Smith asked Chuck about switching to ESPN, the Phoenix Suns legend hilariously remarked, ”Not gonna work me like a dog and not pay me. They’ll have me on ESPN One, Two, Three, ESPN News, ESPNU, ESPN Radio! And they will come up with the little puny pay. They’re gonna have me on ESPN Deportes, saying muy bein, gracias!”
Perhaps Shaq might have foreseen his future in 2011 and chosen Turner over ESPN for his analyst career. Known for his savvy decisions, even this worked in favor of the Big Aristotle, still adding to his fame after a famed 11-year career in the league.
