The details around how ESPN will use Inside the NBA have been few and far between, but Shaquille O’Neal confirmed one major element of the show’s schedule this week.
During an interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson at a charity event, O’Neal was asked what would happen with the show’s cast between Opening Night and Christmas Day. So far, those are the only dates during the first half of the season that ESPN has confirmed it will air the legendary TNT studio show, which it will license starting this season.
O’Neal appeared to confirm the rumors that Inside the NBA will air a regular show on TNT between ESPN appearances.
“We have a special show that we’re going to be shooting once or twice a week,” he told Robinson. “So you will definitely be seeing us.”
Shaq says that the Inside NBA crew of Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith & Ernie Johnson won’t sit idly on ESPN between Opening Night & Christmas:
“We’re going to be having a special show that we’ll be shooting once or twice a week, so you’ll definitely be seeing us!” https://t.co/GApqakGcYF pic.twitter.com/xuO3b6kbEd
— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) September 9, 2025
When TNT maintained NBA broadcast rights, Inside the NBA aired weekly, most of the regular season. Last year, the network struck a deal to license Inside in exchange for the right to air a slew of Big 12 football and men’s basketball games. The core of TNT’s concern with Inside is that the network is still the employer of O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, and Kenny Smith. It will produce Inside for ESPN from Atlanta.
TNT likely needs to produce a show to generate more revenue from the massive expense that Inside represents. Any additional ad and sponsorship revenue it can make from the studio show is valuable, given that Barkley and O’Neal are rumored to make eight figures each.
Previously, reports suggested TNT could turn Inside into an “all-sports” variety show, making use of all its sports rights throughout the year. Perhaps Inside could appear from the MLB postseason, NHL games, and Big 12 events before the schedule gives way to March Madness in the spring.
O’Neal’s comments make it sound as if TNT is finally developing concrete plans for the cast, after Barkley sounded off on the lack of communication from management just last week.