*Shaquille O’Neal’s contract with Warner Bros. Discovery will expire after the 2024-25 NBA season, leaving uncertainty about his future with “Inside the NBA.” While reports suggest he is likely to re-sign, his pending free agency remains a significant topic in sports media.
“O’Neal has a slightly different deal than his three castmates because they do other things for WBD, including the NCAA tournament. Shaq’s deal is strictly for the NBA and it’s up in about eight months,” writes Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, Awful Announcing reports. “While sources say Shaq wants to remain on the show, he’s frustrated that there has been congratulations and press releases hyping that Inside the NBA is remaining the same while he is currently not under contract to be with the company next season.”
Meanwhile, we reported earlier that TNT’s “Inside the NBA” will continue despite the network losing NBA broadcast rights next season. ESPN, under its upcoming NBA deal, is reportedly set to license the show and incorporate it into its coverage in 2025, according to unnamed sources, the Los Angeles Times reports. In August, the league secured a new 11-year, $77 billion deal, shifting its games to ESPN, NBC, and Amazon, ending TNT’s run as a broadcast partner since 1989.
Warner Bros. Discovery sued, alleging it was unfairly denied the opportunity to match Amazon’s streaming rights offer. As part of a settlement, the company remains connected to the NBA but loses live U.S. game coverage.
The Emmy Award-winning show features O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson. Barkley announced during the NBA Finals that he plans to retire from broadcasting after next season, which marks the end of the current media deal. The four co-hosts are expected to appear on ESPN and ABC starting with the 2025-26 season via a partnership with TNT Sports and the NBA, per ESPN.
According to the outlet, starting in the 2025-26 season, “Inside the NBA” will air on ESPN and ABC as part of a partnership with TNT Sports and the NBA. Despite the move, TNT Sports will continue producing the show from its Atlanta studio, except during on-location broadcasts.
Learn more about the shift via the clip below.
READ MORE FROM EURWEB.COM: TNT’s ‘Inside the NBA’ Moving to ESPN in 2025
