The NBA season tips off on Tuesday, and fans watching on TNT will be probably be quick to notice a nostalgic tone in both the pregame show and broadcast.
TNT’s award-winning studio show, Inside the NBA, is heading into its 35th season. But rather than celebrating the successful run and looking forward to the future, it’s going to be a goodbye for Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal.
After a lengthy bidding process, the NBA opted to reach an 11-year agreement with Amazon, Disney and NBC Universal starting in the 2025-26 season. That meant that Warner Bros. Discovery — formerly Turner Sports — lost out on its bid to retain the NBA rights.
Unpredictable. Unscripted. Unfiltered. Unforgettable.
The 35th season of Inside the NBA tips off tonight on TNT! #UnforgettableOnTNT pic.twitter.com/jhU2zi2ip9
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) October 22, 2024
What’s the latest on the show’s status?
While Warner Bros. Discovery is in a Hail Mary lawsuit with the NBA to retain the rights, the expectation is that this will be the final season for NBA basketball on TNT and Inside the NBA as a studio show.
And despite the lack of NBA basketball, Charles Barkley is remaining with Warner Bros. Discovery to commentate on its other properties like March Madness, NHL, MLB, golf and maybe we’ll even see Chuck talk about some U.S. soccer. They’ll keep him busy.
Still, it’s the end of an era for NBA fans, and Inside the NBA is almost definitely done after this season.
