ESPN
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ESPN has secured a deal to broadcast the iconic NBA pre-and-postgame show Inside The NBA next season, naturally leading to questions about how the network will meddle with the beloved series, if at all. One particular concern among fans has been the prospect of Stephen A. Smith joining the crew of Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal, and Charles Barkley.
Given Stephen A. Smith’s position as ESPN’s most famous on-air personality and basketball being his area of expertise, it’s understandable that some basketball fans are worried about him messing with the famed chemistry of Inside the NBA.
“The only thing I ask of this news is true about Inside The NBA keep Stephen A Smith away don’t ever let him touch the set on god I pray for this that let this man near these legends,” one NBA fan said.
“Respectfully, WBD needs to keep all ESPN on-air personnel away from any and all production of Inside The NBA, particularly Stephen A,” added another.
“Just please keep Stephen A away from the Inside the NBA set. I want them to exist in completely different timelines,” chimed in a third.
Luckily for NBA fans, ESPN has quickly quelled those concerns, as ESPN President of Content Burke Magnus said that the network has “no plans” to integrate Smith into Inside the NBA.
“We have no plans to do that. And that’s because, frankly, the construct of the deal really doesn’t — that’s not how it was conceived. What is conceived is that Turner, as they have always done with this show, with this cast, with the people involved behind the scenes, are going to continue to do what they’ve always done,” Magnus said on the SI Media podcast.
Magnus added that ESPN does not want to change Inside the NBA and wants to keep it exactly as is.
“We don’t want to change it. We don’t want to interject new talent into it. We don’t want to really do anything to it,” he added.
With the deal to move Inside the NBA to ESPN now official, the 2024/25 season will be the program’s final season airing on TNT, where it’s been broadcast since it premiered in 1989.
In addition to ESPN, the NBA also secured new broadcasting deals with Prime Video and NBC, which will go into effect at the conclusion of this season.