The 2025-2026 NBA season is almost here, which also means Inside the NBA is nearing its debut on ESPN. A lot has been said about the former TNT-housed sports talk show moving to a new network. Much of that discussion has pertained to concerns about the program being changed to align with the programming on its new channel. Fans haven’t been alone, as even series co-host Charles Barkley expressed concerns. Yet, now, Barkley is revealing two key elements within the show that won’t change.
Anyone who’s watched Inside over the years likely knows that the show – which premiered on TNT in 1989 – possesses a specific vibe that sets it apart from other sports programs. Charles Barkley, like co-hosts Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal, is cognizant of what makes the series work so well. While discussing the network shift months ago, Barkley revealed that both he and Johnson were concerned about the show’s timeslot being long enough. But, as Barkley recently explained, that’s not going to be problem:
