The favorite post-game basketball show for the Hoopers’ fans, ‘Inside the NBA,’ might be entering its last installment for entertaining people on TNT this year. Before the Paris Olympics, the league approved the staggering $76 Billion deal with Walt Disney, Amazon Prime, and NBC. So, from 2025-26, the TNT show might not be there to entertain the viewers. It will be the last time the fans watch their favorite quartet on Inside the NBA while relaxing on their couch for a dose of basketball infotainment.

The NBA season is kicking off on October 22 with a doubleheader clash. The first one is expected to be between the Celtics and the Knicks. The other one, whose timing is yet to get official, will be between the Timberwolves and the Lakers. As per tradition, TNT will broadcast the open night festivities, likely to start around 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET. As Charles Barkley will assemble Inside the NBA crew, including Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson Jr., the first match they’ll cover will be the ring night ceremony. The defending champions will host the Knicks to claim their worthiness to the NBA title. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will ensemble against the Villanova alum squad from the Knicks, including Mikal Bridges, Donte DiVincenzo, Jalen Brunson, and Josh Hart.

After the first showdown with the defending champions at TD Garden, Inside the NBA crew will cover the heated buzz of this offseason. JJ Redick will display his coaching astute at the Crypto.com Arena with fresh rookies. On the other end, there’ll be Wolves with Anthony Edwards’ explosiveness. Coming straight off the Western Conference Finals loss, they are one of the favorites for the title. It’ll be worth watching how Inside the NBA crew will thread their emotions through words. Coming right back at it, is the show ending?

Inside the NBA fate over after TNT contract termination?

At first, show host Charles Barkley rang the fans with his retirement announcement. However, the NBA legend is still rooting for the show. Barley disclosed some time ago that ESPN and Amazon had some crazy numbers for him. Yet he stayed loyal to the team, as he said on Dan Le Batard Show, “Even though they were throwing crazy numbers, like damn, but as long as I got my people safe at TNT, man, I feel really good.”

Even Ernie Johnson Jr. has decided to stay with Turner Sports. Even when the NBA is not moving ahead with the network, Ernie has shown where his loyalties lie. So it seems the Inside the NBA crew is not ready to give up yet. They’ll cover the sports from TNT this season. But what waits for them ahead on the road of treading toward the transition is still pathless.

Johnson joined TNT around 1990 and hasn’t broken the association since then. For now, there is no update on the show’s divorce from Shaq and Kenny Smith as well. So, for now, the fans can stay assured that our favorite quartet is not leaving the show. They’ll entertain us as usual during the 2024-25 season and ahead till they part ways.

Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Asia Avinger.