Inside the NBA is must-see TV, and not just because of the basketball commentary it provides. The crew is always quick to the punch when it comes to referencing relevant events in pop culture and, following the potential cancellation rumors, I'm so glad we'll get to watch Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and co. amid the 2025 TV schedule and beyond. As for their on-air antics, during a recent episode, the guys felt the need to roast Drake for the latest chapter in his feud with Kendrick Lamar.
Kenny "The Jet" Smith had the night off, and his fill-in, fellow former player, Jalen Rose might've started something with his reference to Drake's latest legal activities. Let's dive in and talk about what all went down, including the clip of the sentiments that were shared on TNT's long-running sports show.
How Inside The NBA Roasted Drake
Inside The NBA opened up a segment playing Kendrick Lamar's latest single "TV Off," which Shaquille O'Neal celebrated by shouting "mustard" the way K-Dot does in the song. As the group was having a laugh about that, Jalen Rose chimed in with a dig, as he mused that Drake might sue if they kept playing the song. Take a look at the moment below (via X's @gifdsports):
Inside the NBA roasts Drake for suing over Kendrick Lamar pic.twitter.com/Gm3Sm8j7xKNovember 27, 2024
The statement that Ernie Johnson made about Inside the NBA and lawsuits feels valid. If they feared being sued, they probably would tell the staff to ease up like when Charles Barkley was going on about women in San Antonio. Brutally honest barbs like the one in the video have arguably made Inside a unique show that others have failed to replicate. I'd hate to see it change too much in its shift to ABC and ESPN so, hopefully, they work on finalizing the details of Shaq's contract.
Aside from that, there's still the matter of the aforementioned legal drama involving Drake and Kendrick Lamar. So let's discuss what's going on there.
Why Is Drake Suing Spotify And UMG And How Is Kendrick Lamar Involved?
Inside The NBA's jabs are rooted in Drake's recent lawsuit, which he filed against UMG and Spotify, according to The BBC. The rap artist alleged that the companies artificially inflated the popularity of Kendrick Lamar's diss track "Not Like Us " to make the song look more popular than it was. There are also allegations that UMG worked with influencers, Apple and radio stations to ensure the diss track was prominent in the public eye, from which the label would've reportedly benefitted financially.
Kendrick Lamar has continued to highlight his perceived victory in his rap feud over Drake, even taking a shot at the rapper when he was announced as the latest Super Bowl halftime show performer. This high-profile rap beef captivated the world, taking bizarre turns to where GoFundMe pages taunting the rappers were put up. Admittedly, it's been messy between the two camps and their fans and, with this latest lawsuit having been filed, it seems the flames really haven't been extinguished just yet.
With Inside the NBA remaining on the air beyond the 2024-2025 TV season, there's still the chance that Drake/Lamar beef could be referenced again. I'd be surprised if that were to be the last jokes shared in regard to the feud. We'll also have to wait and see if Drake -- an avid sports fan -- chooses to chime in on the hosts' comments.
