“Inside the NBA” has migrated over to ESPN, but TNT still has a few other jobs for some of that popular studio show’s hosts.
Shaquille O’Neal will serve as a judge along with other NBA greats including Vince Carter, Dwight Howard, Nate Robinson and Mac McClung, and Chris Webber on “Dunkman,” a six-episode reality competition program set to air across Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT, truTV and HBO Max in December.
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In “Dunkman,” 40 amateur dunkers from around the globe will compete for a $200,000 grand prize. And while the premise may not prove shocking, what’s interesting is that Warner’s TNT Sports is continuing to find ancillary roles for O’Neal and others even as the company’s flagship sports program becomes a property that will be more associated with Disney’s ESPN.
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Adam Lefkoe , a TNT Sports commentator and podcaster who has worked with O’Neal in the past will host the program, which starts on Thursday, December 4 at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., and airs in the same hours on two subsequent weeks. Jalen Rose, the former ESPN commentator and host, will appear as an analyst.
The show will give Warner some association with basketball after the company lost its NBA rights after the end of the league’s previous season, cutting ties after a decades-long relationship. The NBA’s current rights deal puts its games on properties tied to NBCUniversal, Amazon and Disney.
Warner continues to produce “Inside the NBA,” and there have been discussions about launching a more general sports-commentary program featuring the “Inside” hosts for Warner’s networks. O’Neal has worked with Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith for decades. Smith has signed a deal with ESPN that will result in him making appearances on the Disney network’s shows including “First Take.” Johnson has been expected to stay to work with Warner, where he also has MLB duties.
The new program will add to O’Neal’s many media activities. He also works as a popular commercial pitchman for companies including The General, an insurance purveyor.
“Dunkman” will take place at Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta. The series is produced by TNT Sports in association with A. Smith & Co, producer of reality series ranging from “Kitchen Nightmares” to “Titan Games,” and Authentic Brands Group.