The members of Inside the NBA are all extremely close friends, which is evident in their playful banter. One of their most iconic moments followed Barkley’s appearance on Shark Tank. The crew didn’t waste any time razzing him.
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In 2018, the incredibly outspoken Barkley made his first appearance on Shark Tank. He isn’t the same level of an entrepreneur as the other hosts, but that didn’t prevent him from investing in a product called Cave Shack.
Once the NBA legend returned to the set with his Inside the NBA crew, his cohosts’ roasts were locked and loaded. Kenny Smith made fun of Barkley’s presence on the show, claiming he isn’t financially eligible to be a shark. He said, “Shaq would be more like a shark, you’re like a dolphin.”
Smith’s joke delighted O’Neal, who erupted in laughter. Ernie Johnson came to Barkley’s defense, claiming Shaq is actually “more like a whale.”
The crew then taste-tested Cave Shake, the product in which Barkley invested $250,000 for 20%. Smith ridiculed him even further for making a poor financial investment. Nearly seven years later, though, Barkley’s investment seems to be a success. Cave Shake doesn’t have its books open to the public, but it does hold a strong presence in its home state of California.
Barkley made a second appearance on Shark Tank
In 2019, Barkley returned to Shark Tank. He’d had some time to dwell on his previous experience and positioned himself to make stronger decisions this time around. In a savvy approach, he paired with longtime shark Mark Cuban to invest $100,000 for 25% equity in SubSafe. Barkley was extremely confident in the success of this company, saying, “I think a lot of people are going to buy this.”
The company continues to flourish, but only time will tell if Cuban and Barkley made the right decision.
