Particle.news
Download on the App Store
8 ARTICLES
·
3d ago

Inside the NBA to Debut on ESPN and ABC After 36-Year TNT Run

Under a new licensing deal TNT Sports will retain creative control, preserving the show’s signature format for ESPN’s marquee NBA broadcasts.

Image
Image
Image
Shaquille O'Neal on the set of ESPN's "NBA Countdown" before Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Overview

  • Inside the NBA will debut on ESPN and ABC in the 2025-26 season after its final episode on TNT in May.
  • Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith are confirmed to continue as hosts under their current TNT Sports contracts.
  • TNT Sports will produce the show in Atlanta, anchoring it for opening week, Christmas Day, ABC games after January 1, and NBA Finals coverage.
  • Barkley has expressed concerns about his workload under the new schedule, while O’Neal has already appeared on NBA Countdown and engaged playfully with ESPN colleagues like Kendrick Perkins.
  • The relocation follows the NBA’s 11-year, $76 billion media rights deal that shifts games to ESPN, ABC, NBC and Amazon Prime Video and places NBA TV’s future role in uncertainty.