NBA fans were thrilled to learn that TNT’s Inside the NBA will continue on ESPN next season when the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned cable network loses national media rights to the league.
The news had led many to wonder if Stephen A. Smith would add a new role with Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson, but ESPN president Burke Magnus rejected that idea in an interview with Sports Illustrated. .
The bottom line is that Inside the NBA is still TNT’s show and is unlikely to bring in talent from ESPN, even if the show airs on Worldwide Leader.
“We have no plans to do that,” Magnus said of Smith joining the program. ‘And that’s because, frankly, the structure of the deal doesn’t really; That’s not how it was conceived. What is conceived is that Turner, as he has always done with this show, with this cast, with the people involved behind the scenes, will continue to do what he has always done.
‘We don’t want to change it, we don’t want to introduce new talent into it. “We really don’t want to do anything to him.”
Stephen A. Smith attends the PrizePicks World Championship on November 17
‘Inside the NBA’ host Ernie Johnson hosts the show with analysts Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal at TNT’s kickoff event at the Times Square offices on October 27, 2014.
Smith ranks as ESPN’s top star these days, even as his contract expires in June. With that in mind, many in media circles imagine ESPN will find new ways to use Smith to justify a lucrative new deal for the pundit.
There are other unanswered questions with the popular Inside the NBA, which continues to air on TNT this season.
That is, the future of O’Neal, whose contract expires in July 2025.
According to Sports Illustrated, O’Neal wants to remain on ‘Inside the NBA’ but is ‘frustrated’ to see press releases confirming the same lineup even though he has not signed a new contract with Warner Bros. Discovery.
It is rumored that O’Neal could continue in ‘Inside the NBA’ but also sign an agreement with rival companies such as Amazon or NBC, new partners of the NBA starting next season.
‘Inside the NBA,’ which has won nearly two dozen Emmy Awards, will air on ESPN and ABC around major live events.
These include ESPN’s pre-, halftime and post-game coverage of the NBA Finals on ABC, as well as the NBA conference finals and playoffs.
“The NBA is universally recognized as one of the best and most culturally impactful sports in the world,” ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement.
“We have long admired the immensely talented team and are thrilled to add their chemistry and knowledge to our robust suite of NBA studio offerings to provide excellent service to NBA fans like never before.
“The addition of Inside the NBA further cements ESPN as the preeminent destination for sports fans.”