“Shaquille O’Neal, the basketball great known as the ‘Superstar Sealant,’ has inked a new blockbuster TV deal with TNT Sports valued at over $15 million per year, as reported by Front Office Sports on Friday. This exciting news ensures that the beloved cast of ‘Inside the NBA’ will remain intact, despite TNT’s decision to license out the show to ESPN in the upcoming season.
In the recent negotiations for NBA TV rights, TNT found itself in an unusual position as NBC and Amazon joined forces with ESPN, leaving TNT without the need for pregame and postgame NBA programming. To address this gap, TNT struck a deal with ESPN, allowing them to license ‘Inside the NBA’ in exchange for a package of Big 12 college football and basketball games.
According to Front Office Sports, fan-favorites Charles Barkley and Kenny ‘The Jet’ Smith are set to stay on ‘Inside the NBA,’ with Barkley even turning down offers from NBC and Amazon in favor of remaining loyal to Turner Sports. Barkley expressed his commitment during a podcast he co-hosts with Ernie Johnson, affirming his decision to decline NBC’s offer and forego future meetings with Amazon.
Barkley’s most recent contract extension, signed in 2022, sees him earning a whopping $21 million annually. Meanwhile, former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal, widely recognized for his time playing alongside Kobe Bryant on the Lakers, also attracted interest from NBC and Amazon, according to a report from CNBC.
NBC is reportedly in discussions with Carmelo Anthony for a studio analyst role, as well as considering Reggie Miller and Jamal Crawford for color commentator positions, as revealed by Front Office Sports.”
