Inside the NBA — widely considered the [greatest studio show in the history of televised sports](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5531128/2024/07/19/inside-the-nba-tv-show-tnt-praises/) — signed off from TNT Saturday night after more than a quarter century at the network in its current iteration. But before saying goodbye, one of their stars dropped an f-bomb warning to the show’s new home, ESPN.
Closing out Saturday night’s broadcast live in Indianapolis — where the Indiana Pacers had just won the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals over the New York Knicks — **Shaquille O’Neal** delivered a stern message to ESPN without mentioning them by name.
“Even though the name changes, the engine is still the same,” Shaq said. “And to the new network we’re coming to, we’re not coming to eff around. And since it’s our last show, I’m gonna say it. We not coming to fuck around! We kicking ass! We taking names, and we taking over, OK?!”
The remark was met with a huge cheer from the crowd gathered behind the set — and laughter from Shaq’s colleagues; **Ernie Johnson**, **Kenny Smith** and **Charles Barkley**.
“Let me see that number one time for the number one show ever on TV,” Shaq said — egging on the crowd. “And we coming over to takeover that next network too!”
For his part, Barkley was more diplomatic.
“To ESPN, it’s gonna be an honor and a privilege to work for you guys,” Barkley said. “You guys are the number one sports network in history, nd I’m excited for it. You guys got some tremendous talents over there. I’m looking forward to co-working with those guys.”
_Inside the NBA_ is leaving TNT because the network, for the first time since 1989, will not have the rights to televise NBA games beginning next season. ESPN [signed a deal to broadcast the show](https://www.mediaite.com/media/sports/tnts-inside-the-nba-will-air-on-espn-next-season-in-seismic-sports-media-move/) — which will continue to be produced by TNT out of the network’s Atlanta studios. Barkley, Smith and Johnson have been together since 2000, while Shaq joined the cast in 2012. All four will remain as the show transitions to ESPN.
Watch above, via TNT.