Shaq expresses enthusiasm towards the upcoming Inside the NBA show: "'The four horsemen' will never meet their demise," he says.
The famous NBA analysis show, "Inside the NBA," is set to bid farewell to TNT after the upcoming 2025 Eastern Conference finals. Despite this transition, the show's regular hosts – Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley – will continue their banter on ESPN, beginning with the 2025-26 NBA season.
Portending an exciting future, Shaq expressed unbridled enthusiasm during a postgame interview at Madison Square Garden, assuring viewers that the show will continue to captivate audiences next season. "Albeit TNT's closing chapter, it's a new beginning for us," he remarked. "The four horseman are not ready to call it quits yet."
Undoubtedly, the show's switch to ESPN from TNT marks several key changes ahead. Although the creative team will remain unaltered, questions concerning the show's format and scheduling have yet to be ironed out. Kenny Smith, a prominent personality on the show, expressed concern over these uncertainties, especially regarding the show's creative control under ESPN's management. "There remain lingering doubts about how much latitude we'll have, and how well we integrate with ESPN's established NBA coverage," he told The New Yorker.
"Inside the NBA" will continue to be filmed in Atlanta, assuring continuity in the show's familiar setting. Moreover, the team is expected to collaborate more with ESPN's pre-game and post-game crews, based on previous collaborations during the NBA Cup. Potential alterations in content and tone could be in store, with Shaq hinting at the possibility of adjustments to meet ESPN's stricter content standards.
As the 2025 Eastern Conference finals draw near, anticipation is rife among fans and personalities alike about the future of "Inside the NBA." The impending move to ESPN leads to a series of changes, both anticipated and unresolved, that will shape the show and its dynamic in the years to come.
The upcoming move of "Inside the NBA" from TNT to ESPN signifies an exciting shift in the basketball world, as the famed show prepares to captivate audiences during the 2025-26 NBA season. With the transition, Shaq maintains an optimistic outlook, stating that it signifies a new beginning, assuring viewers that the show's entertaining dynamic will continue. Kenny Smith, however, expresses concerns about the uncertainties regarding the show's format and creative control under ESPN's management. As the show blends its creative team with ESPN's established NBA coverage, potential adjustments to content and tone may arise, possibly to align with ESPN's stricter content standards.
