No more ‘Inside the NBA’? Here are some of Chuck, Shaq, Kenny and Ernie’s top moments

I’ve had the privilege of listening to some truly remarkable stories over the years, and one that stood out to me was the heartfelt message shared by Johnson last week. Losing a loved one is an indescribable pain, and the Turner family’s experience of losing their son Michael resonated deeply with me. I’ve been through my own share of grief, and I know how overwhelming it can be to receive support from loved ones and friends during such difficult times. The kindness and compassion shown by everyone towards the Turners was truly inspiring.

We’ve laughed together.

Quite a bit.

Over the past few years, we’ve shared many experiences with Ernie, Kenny, Chuck, and Shaq on TNT’s “Inside the NBA.” These experiences included shedding tears, engaging in heated debates, feeling sorrow, experiencing setbacks, expressing strong opinions, and even attempting to make less-than-perfect Christmas cookies. Needless to say, we’ve spent a significant amount of time discussing basketball with them.

At least it felt as if we were active participants.

It’s unfortunate that next season might be the last one for this group to experience all the excitement together, as it appears to be an inevitability following the NBA’s decision to exclude TNT in their latest media rights agreement. Additionally, Charles Barkley has announced his retirement from TV after only one more year on the show.

Since 1989, when TNT first aired NBA games, “Inside the NBA” has been a staple of the network. Ernie Johnson took on the role of permanent host in 1990, and Kenny Smith joined him as an analyst in 1998. Charles Barkley followed suit in 2000. However, it was when Shaquille O’Neal joined the team as a third analyst during the 2011-12 season that the show truly gained momentum.

Here’s a look back at some of the show’s most memorable moments.

Clippers-Rockets conflict was no laughing matter … no, wait, it totally was (2018)

The atmosphere at “Inside the NBA” studio was surprisingly light and joyful on January 16, 2018, despite the potential for tension when Chris Paul took on his former team, the Clippers, for the first time since being traded to the Houston Rockets.

Barkley and O’Neal found the news amusing: a report suggested that Paul and some Rockets players attempted to enter the Clippers’ locker room following the game for a heated encounter. They were especially entertained by the detail about potential involvement of law enforcement.

For sixteen years, I was a NBA player, and I’ve spent eighteen years in front of the camera. This is my first encounter with the term “police presence.” Barkley shared this, eliciting hearty laughter from O’Neal. Eventually, O’Neal tossed a stack of papers up in the air, finding humor in the situation.

After managing to string some words together, O’Neil demonstrated what an emergency call could sound like in practice.

As a passionate cinema goer, I’d put it like this: “Hello officer, it was me, Blake Griffin, who’s under threat here. Chris Paul attempted to assault me. Please hurry and come help.”

Barkley joined in with a fake phone conversation of his own.

“I’m a six-foot-ten, 225-pound powerhouse in the NBA, but Chris Paul is attempting to intrude and challenge me,” Barkley stated, signaling for help quickly.

Chuck’s bracelet (2016)

In the year 2016, a conversation between Smith and Barkley initiated the series of events… which culminated in O’Neal accidentally splashing water on the studio set.

Listening to Barkley recount the story is more entertaining than us telling it. Be cautious not to swallow your drink fully when he says, “Thank you, whoever you are, for my bracelet.”

Don’t interrupt Jack … we mean, Shaq (2019)

I’ve been part of many intense team discussions where every second counts. In such situations, it’s crucial to respect each other’s thoughts and ideas. That being said, if you plan to interrupt O’Neal during one of these conversations, you better have a valuable contribution to make. It’s not just about speaking up, but adding substance to the conversation that could potentially benefit our team strategy. Additionally, making sure to use the correct name of the player – in this case, O’Neal – shows attention to detail and professionalism. After all, we’ve all been through the grind of athletic training and competition, so let’s make every moment count.

Better yet, just don’t interrupt O’Neal.

In 2019, Barkley learned a lesson the hard way during a conversation about the Portland-Denver Western Conference semifinal series opening game. He interrupted O’Neal and proposed that the Trail Blazers could advantageously utilize Alex Len to guard Denver’s standout player Nikola Jokic. Unfortunately, this recommendation was impractical as Len played for the Atlanta Hawks at the time.

I chuckled at the blunder made by Johnson and Smith during the interview, but O’Neal didn’t find it amusing. He was genuinely annoyed by Barkley’s interruption and chose to ignore my question regarding the playoff series.

“Go back over there to Know-It-All,” O’Neal said.

Johnson found it hard to hide his amusement, especially when O’Neal said, “Supposed to be one-two-three, not one-two-step back to one,” poking fun at the analysts’ turn-taking. The usually composed host hid his face behind his hands, tapped on the table vigorously, and eventually had to retreat off-camera, unable to contain his laughter.

When the segment cut to commercial, O’Neal was still griping and Johnson was still laughing.

‘Google me, Chuck’ (2018)

Want to see more of O’Neal and Barkley going at each other? Here’s one that escalated quickly.

During a conversation, Barkley expressed that Dwane Casey, former Toronto Raptors coach, should work on mending his connection with DeMar DeRozan following his decision to bench the notable player in a 2018 playoff match against the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, O’Neal disagreed emphatically, advising Barkley to “quit being so protective of these athletes.”

“You got babied, that’s why you ain’t win,” O’Neal told Barkley.

Barkley replied, “I didn’t have Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant carrying me up and down the court.”

O’Neal’s response to the argument about Casey was equivalent to making an extremely convincing point, leaving everyone speechless.

“I got three Finals MVPs, Chuck,” O’Neal shouted. “Google me, Chuck!”

Kenny walks out in support of NBA players protest (2020)

Not all of the show’s most memorable moments involved fun and games.

After the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Bucks decided not to take the court for their NBA playoff game against the Orlando Magic on August 26, 2020. Other teams also expressed their intent to cancel their games, resulting in the NBA’s decision to postpone all three scheduled matches that day (additional postponements ensued before play resumed three days later).

That evening’s “Inside the NBA” show began with Johnson summarizing the previous happenings, then Barkley shared his perspective.

Then it was Smith’s turn.

“This is a challenging situation for me,” Smith admitted. “I feel as if my mind is on the verge of overwhelming me with all that’s transpiring. frankly, I’m not sure I have the words to express the emotions of the team members. I haven’t had the opportunity to speak with any of them yet.”

In simpler terms, “As a Black man and a former player, I believe it’s more beneficial for me to stand with the athletes rather than be present here tonight. I’ll disconnect my microphone and contemplate the next steps.”

Smith then walked off the set.

“I respect that,” Johnson said.

Christmas cookies (2023)

Last year, the men participated in a cookie decorating competition during the holiday season with a twist – they had to create a Christmas tree design using icing and other edible embellishments on their cookies. The rules were uncomplicated. Unfortunately, here are some clues about those who didn’t quite capture the festive spirit:

— Johnson questioned Barkley’s design, “Is it meant to be a Christmas tree?”

Smith’s response to Barkley’s decoration, marked by exclamations, laughter, and gesturing: “Really, what’s that?”

— O’Neal’s answer to Smith’s question regarding Barkley’s cookie: “Awful.”

‘Down goes Shaq!’ (2016)

In this humorous clip, the 7-foot-1, 325-pound O’Neal slips and falls flat on his face while trying to outrun Smith to the video board without getting hurt or causing harm to anyone else.)

“Shaq hits the floor! Shaq hits the floor!” Smith chuckled as he looked down at the fallen basketball legend, causing Shaq to retaliate by bringing him down to the ground as well.

During the broadcast, O’Neal accused Johnson, seated next to him, of entangling a cord around his leg during their segment. Johnson replied in surprise, “But how could I have tied that around your leg while I was sitting right here?”

In the end, O’Neal emerged victorious despite Smith’s previous return. As Smith settled back into his seat, O’Neal swiftly approached the board for a triumphant touch, securing his win in the race.

Chuck, don’t ever change (another diaper) (2008)

The crew welcomed Smith back to the show after he became a father to Malloy Adrian Smith in May 2008 by organizing a diaper-changing competition between him and Barkley.

As a movie reviewer, I’d say: Smith, with fresh knowledge under his belt, scolded Barkley for neglecting to clean his hands before touching his doll. “There’s filth in there,” Barkley defended himself, gesturing towards the diaper. “My hand is cleaner than that!”

When Barkley took off his doll’s diaper, he discovered a big shock inside (later unveiled as a Baby Ruth candy bar). Barkley didn’t bother cleaning the baby, but instead just added some powder and swiftly put on a new diaper.

All three men were laughing so hard they had trouble standing.

“I hope you don’t clean yourself like that,” Smith finally managed to gasp.

Shaq remembers ‘little brother’ Kobe Bryant (2020)

Two days following Kobe Bryant’s tragic helicopter crash on January 26, 2020, which claimed his life along with those of his daughter, Gianna, and seven others, the “Inside the NBA” team filmed a heartfelt tribute to the late Lakers star at an empty Staples Center.

O’Neal expressed heartfelt feelings about his ex-teammate and dear friend for almost seven minutes, his eyes filled with flowing tears.

At his Hall of Fame ceremony, O’Neal shared that we won’t be able to tease each other as we used to. We won’t be able to say things like “I have five championships, you only have four,” or “If we had stayed together, we could have had ten.” Those moments are irreplaceable.

As a movie buff, I could paraphrase that by saying, “The next year, Johnson reflected on that particular broadcast, sharing, ‘There are certain days in this line of work where it becomes clear that what we’re doing goes beyond just entertaining people with basketball.'”

‘Ernie, you need to lean on us’ (2021)

Approximately two years ago, Johnson had to temporarily step away from “Inside the NBA” following the tragic death of his son, Michael, at the age of 33. The show recognized Michael’s passing during Ernie’s absence, with O’Neal, Barkley and Smith expressing their condolences and providing emotional solace to their grieving friend and colleague.

“It’s painful to witness such a respected figure like Ernie in distress,” O’Neal expressed. “I want you to know, Ernie, that you and your family have our deepest sympathies. Whatever support you require from us, I will be there for you forever.”

“For once, Ernie, it’s our turn to support you, as you’ve been the one we rely on in the past.”

When he returned to the show on Nov. 9, 2021, Johnson revealed he had done just that.

Last week, I carefully listened to everyone’s insights. Among you all, Kenny expressed his belief that it was time for me to seek support from my loved ones. True enough, during this difficult time, my family and the Turner family, our friends, and our faith have been a source of comfort as we mourn the loss of our son Michael on October 29th.

To everyone reaching out with messages of support through texts and phone calls on social media, a heartfelt thank you. Your kindness and compassion during this difficult time is truly overwhelming for our family. We’re incredibly grateful for your encouragement as we move forward. Rest assured that Michael is in capable hands now.

Shaq math doesn’t add up (2018)

In April 2018, a heated discussion ensued when Smith expressed his intention to purchase a specific car, expressing concern over the $80 cost of fueling it up.

Instead of waiting for your gas tank to reach “E” before refueling, O’Neal advises doing so earlier to save on costs.

Eventually, Smith would need to make just as many visits to the gas station as Johnson, to fill up their respective cars with the same total amount of fuel money spent.

Despite O’Neal finding it hard to accept that explanation, he continued to believe that his reasoning and calculations were flawless.

“Kenny, if you allow the level to drop all the way to zero,” O’Neal cautioned for the third time, “you’ll have to spend eighty dollars to refill it again.”

“Right,” Smith said.

O’Neal added: “If the balance drops to half by Wednesday, then you’ll owe an additional 20 dollars. But if Smith objected, ‘No!’ the amount would revert back to its original full cost.”

When Johnson mentioned that 40, not 20, makes up half of 80, O’Neal replied, “Hold on a minute, let me clarify.”

Johnson replied dryly, “I am.”

During the discussion, neither party yielded, leading it to eventually conclude as Smith pointed out that the exchange had turned into a confusing back-and-forth similar to the classic “Who’s on First?” comedy sketch.

‘I don’t do pedicures’ … um, yeah, we can tell (2017)

In the thrilling 2017 Eastern Conference finals between the Boston Celtics and my beloved Cavaliers, the Cavaliers’ victory in Game 5 was nothing short of a landslide from the get-go. To keep viewers engaged during halftime, Shaquille O’Neal, a respected commentator, decided to share an intriguing anecdote.

His foot.

His gigantic, grotesque foot with its mangled big toe and icky toenails.

“I don’t do pedicures,” said O’Neal, stating the obvious.

seventeen-year-old Shareef O’Neal, the son, expressed regret to those who may have noticed his father’s toes during live broadcasts.

Barkley said he was asked what looked worse, the Celtics’ defense that night or O’Neal’s feet.

During his illustrious Hall of Fame basketball career, O’Neal racked up an impressive total of 28,596 points. He was prepared with a response for those who criticized his footwork.

“You know what those feet look like?” he said. “Twenty-eight thousand points.”

2024-07-26 14:27

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