![\"Shaquille](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-473143664.jpg\")
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Shaquille O\u2019Neal confirms that Inside the NBA will continue on ESPN with special shows throughout the season, alongside opening night and Christmas broadcasts.<\/p>\n
The NBA\u2019s beloved studio crew is still on TV\u2014it\u2019s just shifting gears. ESPN will be licensed Inside the NBA from TNT in a groundbreaking agreement, and fans will be able to see Shaquille O\u2019Neal, Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, and Kenny Smith\u2019s iconic banter and basketball analysis for a long time.<\/p>\n
The twist? Their regular weekly routine on TNT will be replaced with ESPN\u2019s marquee broadcasts, which will start on opening night and return to cover Christmas Day.\u2019<\/p>\n
Upon first glance, the arrangement raised questions: would viewers only get to watch Inside the NBA<\/a> twice in the early season? Shaquille O\u2019Neal swiftly gave assurance<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to be having a special show that we\u2019ll be shooting once or twice a week, so you\u2019ll definitely be seeing us,\u201d Shaq confirmed in recent remarks.<\/p>\n The transition is no longer about absence, but about adjustment following that revelation.<\/p>\n ESPN Licensing Deal and the Changing Landscape<\/p>\n In a bid to streamline NBA media rights for the 2025\u201326 season, ESPN has made it a priority to bring Inside the NBA to ESPN. ESPN has the opportunity to use the legendary TNT cast, which was once considered the gold standard for sports studio shows, as a result of the league\u2019s evolving broadcast agreements.<\/p>\n The ESPN deal guarantees appearances in two of the season\u2019s most significant nights, the league\u2019s highly anticipated opening tip and the annual Christmas showcase. ESPN is betting that Inside the NBA will enhance the cultural and entertainment value of these marquee events, which have traditionally drawn huge audiences.<\/p>\n The crew\u2019s signature presence, which includes Barkley\u2019s sharp humor, Shaq\u2019s larger-than-life personality, Smith\u2019s player insight, and Johnson\u2019s steady hand, may not be a regular part of the NBA conversation due to their absence from weekly slots.<\/p>\n Shaq\u2019s Statement on the New Specials<\/p>\n Those fears were put to rest by O\u2019Neal\u2019s remarks. The crew is determined to film a new \u201cspecial show\u2019 once or twice a week beyond ESPN broadcasts. Despite the lack of details about the format and distribution, Shaq\u2019s confirmation indicates that Inside the NBA will not disappear from the public eye.<\/p>\n More flexibility could be offered by the specials, which would allow the team to explore creative segments or address basketball storylines in real-time without being tethered to traditional studio schedules.<\/p>\n The chemistry between Shaq and Barkley, which has made Inside the NBA a cultural staple, will remain unchanged, as both have stated. \u201cWe\u2019re not reinventing the wheel,\u201d Shaq emphasized.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re bringing the same fun, the same realness, just in a new way.\u201d<\/p>\n Adjustments Behind the Scenes<\/p>\n The cast has undergone a significant shift as a result of the new schedule. The season\u2019s narrative was impacted by TNT\u2019s Inside the NBA, a weekly ritual for fans, thanks to its mix of analysis and entertainment.<\/p>\n ESPN\u2019s approach will differ, opting for a more selective but potentially more substantial approach, based on nights when the NBA dominates the spotlight.<\/p>\n While Barkley has expressed his disinterest in pilot-style concepts and network tinkering, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith have both embraced the chance to adapt. The crew has expressed their determination to remain united under ESPN\u2019s umbrella in a public way.<\/p>\n Fan Reaction and Expectations<\/p>\n The fan response has been a mixture of excitement and uncertainty. Many people are thrilled by the idea of Inside the NBA on ESPN, which is the league\u2019s biggest broadcast package, as it solidifies the show\u2019s influence in the NBA\u2019s new media era. Nevertheless, some are concerned about the loss of the show\u2019s consistency.<\/p>\n Weekly specials would provide equal benefits for both the league and its loyal viewers. If the new format is executed correctly, Inside the NBA will retain its freshness and unpredictability, which has earned it Emmy nominations and a lasting legacy in basketball culture.<\/p>\n Looking Ahead<\/p>\n Opening night marks the start of the 2025\u201326 season, and everything will be focused on it. Inside the NBA\u2019s broadcast marks a historic change, as the ESPN banner is now being used for the first time, reflecting the changing economics of sports media and the enduring personalities of the show.<\/p>\n Shaq, Barkley, Ernie, and Kenny will not disappear unnoticed, despite Inside the NBA ceasing to air on Thursdays.\u00a0They are making it a priority to keep their voices at the center of the basketball game as a new era is emerging that merges tradition and innovation.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tLandon Buford<\/a> Landon Buford is a Heavy Sports contributor. I’m a Washington State graduate with a Bachelors degree in Sociology. In the past, I’ve had stops at RESPECT Magazine, The Dallas Observer, USA Today, SI, Forbes, PlayersTV, Vayner Media, and The Hype Magazine. My interest is in Sports, Entertainment, Culture, and Tech. More about Landon Buford<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on NBA\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty Images Shaquille O\u2019Neal confirms that Inside the NBA will continue on ESPN with special shows throughout the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":133113,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[434],"tags":[49,48,459,82],"class_list":["post-133112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-nba","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=133112"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133112\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/133113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=133112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=133112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=133112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}