Every year, before the regular season, fans eagerly wait for Inside the NBA’s analysts’ Top 50 list. With Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith on board, it is easily one of the best hoops shows there’s ever been. As a Hall of Famer and one of the most outspoken voices in the community, Chuckster’s rankings carry significant weight. “No. 1 priority is how many different ways you can win the game,” said Chuck about his criteria. Making it to the 11-time All-Star’s list is no ordinary feat.

‘Versatility’ was a key consideration for him during the process. “You cannot be a great player if you can’t win a game multiple ways,” Charles Barkley clarified. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns did not make it to the 1993 MVP’s top 25 players!

While the hoops legend repeatedly said these rankings are “subjective”, we cannot say for sure what’s the reason behind the New York Knicks’ stars being lower on the list. It might most likely have something to do with Jalen Brunson and KAT not being elite defenders.

For Jalen Brunson, who led the Knicks with an impressive postseason run, and Towns, a 4x All-Star and dominant presence for the Wolves who has now teamed up with JB in NY, the omission comes as a surprise to many fans and analysts alike.

Anthony Edwards’ former scoring partner bagged the 39th position, whereas, NY’s hero from last season fell just outside the esteemed Top 25 bracket at #26! Big Diesel, however, has a different approach from Chuck. Shaq clearly focused his rankings on team success and a player’s ability to be the difference between winning and losing, while consistently valuing being a winner across their criteria.

The Lakers legend frequently emphasized the significance of winning a championship, like Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo, or at least coming close, as Luka Dončić has. He also mentioned that the lower part of his rankings wasn’t set in stone. For instance, the player ranked 22nd isn’t necessarily much better than the one at 42nd, because of the insane talent which is present in the NBA.

Could this be Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neil, and Kenny Smith’s last list?

Everyone has their own opinions and can have their own list with their reasoning. Obviously, Chuck, Shaq, and Smith will continue to make and release their lists, given their stature in the hoops community. But this is the last list they will be present on Inside the NBA show. Yes, this fan-favorite show will no longer be returning after the end of the 2024-25 season.

In July, the NBA revealed that it accepted Amazon Prime Video’s $76 billion media rights offer, along with joint broadcasters, signaling Warner Bros. Discovery’s bid to match it was unsuccessful. The show, which started in 1989, is almost as entertaining as the match itself and, in cases of blowouts, even better!

Inside the NBA provided more than just analysis. It was also humorous with the panel’s top-notch pranks. Shaq being thrown at a Christmas tree? Sign me up. We’ll never forget how Big Diesel always had to remind Chuck about how it feels to win 4 rings, let alone one.

There’s still a chance Amazon might try to sign the Inside the NBA crew and bring the popular studio show to its platform. However, with the show’s future uncertain and TNT no longer holding the NBA’s media rights, fans were left disappointed by the news.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.