When it comes to enjoying Inside the NBA with Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Kenny “The Jet” Smith, and Charles Barkley, NBA players are the same as us. Anyone who is a fan of basketball is a fan of the content these four guys supply during the course of the NBA season, and they have put together some of the best postgame interviews with players, including Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic. Unfortunately, with the NBA seeking new media deals with companies, Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of TNT and Turner Sports, may be ready to sacrifice their biggest professional sport and iconic, award-winning show.
Whether or not the NBA and Warner Bros. Discovery renew their media deal is one of the biggest questions right now. However, Inside the NBA will be around for at least one more season.
After defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals on Thursday night, Doncic stopped by the Inside the NBA set inside Target Center for some postgame thoughts and analysis. In addition to breaking down his first ever appearance in the NBA Finals, Doncic also reassured the guys on set that something will be done regarding their media rights deal being up.
“Enjoy the Finals! We're gonna miss you. We're done after tonight,” Barkley commented in regards to TNT's media rights deal with the NBA expiring.
While Johnson pointed out that Inside the NBA will be around next season as well, Doncic smiled and claimed that they will need to “figure out something.”
There is currently no telling what the future holds for Inside the NBA on TNT. Johnson has provided a sense of optimism, stating that the league and Warner Bros. Discovery have been in contact with one another in recent weeks. NBA commissioner Adam Silver has also commented on the matter recently, claiming that talks are ongoing.
As for Doncic, he is just like every other player in the league in terms of wanting Shaq, Charles, Ernie, and Kenny to remain on the air. Inside the NBA has become a staple of the league. Losing this award-winning show would be a disaster for the league as a whole, as no other network has the capability to replicate its success.
Doncic was the last player to appear on Inside the NBA during the 2023-24 season, but hopefully he won't be the last player ever.
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