Overview
- ESPN announced Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026 that Inside the NBA will make 25 regular-season appearances on ESPN and ABC running from Oct. 21, 2026 through the regular-season finale on Apr. 11, 2027.
- The program will continue to be produced by TNT Sports from its Atlanta studios and will feature host Ernie Johnson with analysts Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith.
- The schedule expands the show’s early-season footprint compared with last year’s 20 dates by adding Opening Week coverage and several November and December windows to give fans more consistent access.
- ESPN said the show’s 2027 playoff and Finals dates will be announced later in the season, leaving postseason placement and on-site plans unconfirmed for now.
- Charles Barkley has suggested this may be his final TV season and pending corporate shifts at Warner Bros. Discovery create longer-term uncertainty about the show’s licensing and production after 2026–27.