Sports fans could be on the cusp of a new talk show era – one that doesn’t feature TNT’s Inside the NBA, which is nearing cancellation right now. The show’s apparent conclusion, which would come in the summer of 2025, is due to its network’s parent company losing the rights to the eponymous pro basketball league. With that, many have been speculating about what might lie ahead for the series’ quartet of hosts. Longtime host Shaquille O’Neal’s TV future is also in question and, now, an insider has weighed in on that matter.
The 52-year-old ex Los Angeles Laker joined Inside the NBA back in 2011 after retiring from the league and, since then, he’s become a big part of the series (figuratively and literally). Of course, aside from his duties to the long-running chat show, Shaq also engages in a host of other media-related gigs. In doing so, he’s become a well-known figure within the entertainment space. It’s for that reason that Goodwin Sports agent Nate Jones believes the four-time champion will be a hot commodity should he become a TV free agent:
Shaq is one of the few monoculture sports superstars left in the business today. Shaq and Charles [Barkley] are similar to Snoop Dogg where everyone from grandmas to young kids know who they are and love them. It’s very hard for sports stars of this fractured social media era to break through like those guys have, so they have real value to sports broadcasters and their brand partners. Shaq is nearly a decade younger than Charles, so he likely has a little more runway as a sports personality than Charles at this stage.
Nate Jones was right on the money when sharing those comments with The New York Post. Shaquille O’Neal is indeed one of the few athletes that’s truly managed to keep a firm foot within the sports world post-retirement while also blazing a massive trail for themself in TV or film. The few others that come to mind are Charles Barkley, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Peyton Manning. One could even argue that Kansas City Chief tight end Travis Kelce is on a trajectory similar to the aforementioned athletes.
Considering Shaq’s body of work, it’s easy to agree with the notion that he’d attract a number of potential employers should Inside the NBA end. The Post’s Ryan Glasspiegel opines that the self-proclaimed GOAT of athletes rappers would be a great fit for ESPN’s NBA Countdown. On the surface, that would certainly be a viable option for him. It has also been reported, however, that the Diesel could also remain with TNT Sports should it lose the professional basketball rights. That would, theoretically, mean that Shaq could cover NCAA b-ball or even golf.
If the Orlando Magic legend chooses to stay put if the basketball rights aren’t retained, he’d join Charles Barkley, who walked back his retirement decision in favor of a new deal with TNT Sports. Barkley has since discussed his decision to keep working, saying that he did so in order to save jobs. He apparently left $100 million on the table in the process and called that experience “humbling.”
The notion of seeing Shaq and Sir Charles work together on a show that isn’t Inside the NBA would be weird, though. During the series’ run, Chuck and Shaq’s viral antics have become well-loved and serve as a major selling point for the program. They, of course, also provide stellar commentary alongside co-hosts Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith. I don’t like the idea of these four breaking up but, at the very least, fans should rest assured knowing that Shaq will likely remain on their screens in some form or fashion.
Inside the NBA will return this fall amid basketball season for what could very well be its send-off season. In the meantime, you can check out Shaquille O’Neal’s new game show, Lucky 13, which airs on Thursdays on ABC at 9 p.m. ET as part of the 2024 TV schedule. Episodes can be streamed using a Hulu subscription as well.
