Inside The NBA Fans Had Mixed Feelings About Its ESPN Schedule. Why Shaq Likes It

by

The popular show Inside the NBA has been airing on ESPN for a few months, and its format hasn’t changed much. The biggest difference is how often it airs – it’s no longer weekly like it was on TNT. When the new schedule came out, many fans were disappointed to learn there would be fewer episodes in late 2025. While some viewers are still unhappy, co-host Shaquille O’Neal recently shared why he actually prefers the new arrangement.

The newest season of Inside debuted on ESPN in late October 2025, with only five episodes airing through December. The show is now scheduled to return in late January 2026 as part of the regular TV lineup. Recently, fans haven’t had as many opportunities to watch Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaq together on screen. Shaq recently spoke with Sports Illustrated about these changes and offered a positive outlook.

I’m actually optimistic about this. There’s a lot of competition with many others involved, and we haven’t been prominently featured so far. However, looking ahead to the playoffs, I think the top teams will be the ones everyone is talking about.

Shaquille O’Neal seems excited about the potential for his show, Inside, to stand out in a crowded sports media landscape. He thinks the recent temporary absences of some hosts will actually build more anticipation for the rest of the season, especially now that the show will cover the NBA Playoffs and Finals – something he’s particularly enthusiastic about. Shaq clearly feels strongly about this, and he reiterated his positive outlook.

I haven’t worked much recently – only twice last year and not at all this year. But looking ahead, once March arrives and the playoffs begin, the best teams will be playing, and a lot more people will be watching. I remember when it was just us and ESPN, but now there’s so much competition. Everyone is doing a good job, but the playoffs are where you really see the top teams perform – you have to see the best compete.

Viewers can now watch “Inside the NBA” on Disney’s sports network because Warner Bros. Discovery lost the rights to broadcast NBA games in 2024. This initially led to concerns the show would be canceled, and Charles Barkley publicly expressed his disappointment with how his company handled the situation. Ultimately, Warner Bros. Discovery reached an agreement with ESPN to continue airing the show, starting with the 2025-2026 season.

Fans of Inside should know that the show’s schedule might become more consistent in the future. ESPN executive Burke Magnus recently explained that their priority this season was just getting the show on the air, and the limited number of episodes early on was due to a previous agreement with Turner Broadcasting. However, Magnus is optimistic that they can add more regular broadcasts after this first season.

While we wait, basketball fans can enjoy many more episodes of Inside the NBA as the playoffs get closer. It sounds like Shaq is excited and prepared to return when filming starts again. The show will be back on ESPN on January 24th.

Read More

2026-01-08 07:38