We’ve laughed together.
Quite a bit.
We’ve also cried, argued, grieved, taken a tumble, taken a stand, changed diapers, made “awful” Christmas cookies and, of course, talked a lot of basketball with Ernie, Kenny, Chuck and Shaq over the years on TNT’s “Inside the NBA.”
At least it felt as if we were active participants.
It will be a shame if next season will be the last time we’ll be able to do it all with that group, although that outcome seems inevitable after the NBA snubbed TNT in its latest media rights deal, and Charles Barkley’s recent announcement that he will retire from TV after one more year on the show.
Read more: NBA on the verge of a deal with Amazon, NBC and ESPN, potentially leaving TNT on the bench
“Inside the NBA” started in 1989, the same year TNT began broadcasting NBA games. Ernie Johnson became the show’s first permanent host the following year and has held the role ever since. Kenny Smith joined him as an analyst in 1998 and Barkley did the same in 2000. The show really hit its stride when Shaquille O’Neal came aboard as the third analyst starting with the 2011-12 season.
Here’s a look back at some of the show’s most memorable moments.
Clippers-Rockets conflict was no laughing matter … no, wait, it totally was (2018)
Tensions might have been high at Staples Center on Jan. 16, 2018, the night Chris Paul played the Clippers for the first time since his trade to the Houston Rockets, but the atmosphere was downright jovial in the “Inside the NBA” studio.
Barkley and O’Neal were in stitches over a report that Paul and other members of the Rockets tried to force their way into the Clippers’ locker room after the game for a confrontation. They were particularly tickled by the part of the story that mentioned police might have been called over the incident.
“I played in the NBA for 16 years, and I’ve been on TV 18 years. It’s the first time I’ve heard ‘police presence,’” Barkley managed to say while O’Neal howled with laughter, eventually throwing a handful of papers into the air in amusement.
Read more: ‘Inside the NBA’ ending? Charles Barkley sounds off as cancellation reportedly close
When he was finally able to put a few sentences together, O’Neal acted out how such an emergency call might have sounded.
“Hello, police? Chris Paul tried to beat me up,” O’Neal sputtered out. “Hey, this is Blake Griffin. Chris Paul tried to get in the locker room. Get down here and save me.”
Barkley joined in with a fake phone conversation of his own.
“I’m 6-10, 225, one of the most powerful players in the NBA, but Chris Paul trying to get in here and kick my ass,” Barkley said. “Get down here quick.”
Chuck’s bracelet (2016)
It all started with Smith asking Barkley where he got the bracelet he was wearing one night in 2016 … and it ended with O’Neal spewing water all over the set.
Sure, we could tell you the story, but it’s much funnier if you listen to Barkley tell it — just learn from O’Neal’s mistake and don’t take a large gulp of your beverage as Barkley utters the line, “Hey, man, whatever your name is, thank you for my bracelet.”
Don’t interrupt Jack … we mean, Shaq (2019)
If you’re going to interrupt O’Neal, you better have a good take. Or at least know the correct name of the player you’re talking about.
Better yet, just don’t interrupt O’Neal.
Barkley found that out the hard way in 2019 during a discussion about the opening game of the Portland-Denver Western Conference semifinal series, when he cut off O’Neal to suggest the Trail Blazers would benefit from using Alex Len to defend Denver star Nikola Jokic — which, in fact, would have been difficult to do because Len played for the Atlanta Hawks.
Johnson and Smith were amused by the gaffe, but O’Neal was not. Legitimately peeved about Barkley’s interruption, O’Neal refused to answer Johnson’s question about the playoff series.
“Go back over there to Know-It-All,” O’Neal said.
Johnson couldn’t contain his amusement, particularly after O’Neal uttered the line, “Supposed to be one-two-three, not one-two-back to one,” in reference to the analysts’ speaking order. The normally reserved host covered his face, pounded on the desk and finally had to step to the back of the set doubled over in laughter.
When the segment cut to commercial, O’Neal was still griping and Johnson was still laughing.
‘Google me, Chuck’ (2018)
Want to see more of O’Neal and Barkley going at each other? Here’s one that escalated quickly.
Barkley was talking about how then-Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey needed to repair his relationship with DeMar DeRozan after benching the star player during a 2018 playoff game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. O’Neal objected quickly and loudly, telling Barkley to “stop babying these players.”
“You got babied, that’s why you ain’t win,” O’Neal told Barkley.
Read more: Charles Barkley says next season will be his last on TV
Barkley replied, “I didn’t have Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant carrying me up and down the court.”
While it didn’t really resolve the argument about Casey, O’Neal’s retort was pretty much a mic drop.
“I got three Finals MVPs, Chuck,” O’Neal shouted. “Google me, Chuck!”
Kenny walks out in support of NBA players protest…
LA Times
