Ahead of the NBA season beginning Tuesday night, TNT officially announced it has signed all four members of the Inside the NBA crew to contract extensions. Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson are all committed to the network for the foreseeable future.
“Our partnership with the NBA is very important to us and this long-term agreement with the Inside the NBA team is recognition of their significance to that relationship,” Chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Luis Silberwasser said in a statement. “Inside the NBA epitomizes the creativity and innovative spirit we’ve established throughout our successful, long-standing legacy with the league.”
Johnson has been a host of the show since its inception in the 1990s. Smith joined the show in 1998, followed by Barkley two years later, with O’Neal being the last to join after he retired in 2011.
“I always say there are ‘Got to, jobs’ and Get to, jobs,’ and the four of us clearly have ‘Get to, jobs’,” Johnson said in a statement. “It’s been a journey of a lifetime to work on this show, with Charles, Kenny and Shaquille at the desk and alongside such an amazingly talented crew behind the scenes. I’m very blessed.”
Andrew Marchand first reported that the network signed Barkley to a 10-year extension that could approach $200 million in the end. TNT’s TV deal with the NBA runs through the next three seasons, so this level of commitment makes it seem as if the network is confident the league will continue their partnership.
Inside the NBA remains the gold standard for sports studio shows, having won multiple sports Emmys over the years. The network studio show returns Tuesday night for NBA’s opening night as TNT will broadcast both 76ers-Celtics and Lakers-Warriors.
More NBA Coverage:
