For many years, basketball fans have turned to Inside the NBA as their go-to show. But in recent months, it has been tainted by some unsettling whispers. Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Ernie Johnson could be doing their final lap together as a crew.
Fans observed that the big guy was missing from the recent episode when the crew covered the Game 7 between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets, despite the fact that their presence becomes increasingly significant during the playoffs. Fans conjectured about the show’s demise because there have been reports that it may terminate shortly.
The network that broadcasts the program, TNT, is a branch of Warner Bros. Discovery. Although WBD has long had the NBA rights, Comcast is reportedly willing to pay $2.5 billion year for the same arrangement, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
A lot of people think that the contract is already finalized and that TNT is hiding it to avoid spoiling the fans’ playoff excitement.
Whatever the case, it’s evident that nobody wants to talk about the topic right now. The huge guy wrote a mysterious remark on Instagram amid the silence,
“Humble enough to know I can be replaced, but wise enough to know ain’t nobody else like me.”
Even though he claimed to have stolen the image from Stephen Jackson’s Instagram, the timing of it is noteworthy because Vince Carter took Stephen Jackson’s place on the final episode of the show.
It is important to note that Shaq’s departure from the show is not official. Furthermore, there is zero chance that the large guy will quit the show because there are no rumors of hostility between him and the network. Shaq wrote on X during the airing of the most recent episode, “hey charles kenny ernie and vince jenna says hi,” to support these assertions even more.
hey charles kenny ernie and vince jenna says hi
— SHAQ (@SHAQ) May 20, 2024
The TNT cast frequently misses specific episodes.
Has Charles Barkley missed like Shaquille O’Neal?
Although Sir Charles has missed episodes in the past, the cause for those occurrences was explained to viewers and the incidents were discussed on the program. One really funny fan hypothesis is making the rounds regarding why Shaq did not make it to the crucial Game 7.
House of Highlights posted a clip from the show on YouTube. Upon observing that Mr. Half Man, Half Amazing was substituting for the large man, supporters questioned whether Shaq was trying to avoid the spotlight.
Throughout the postseason, he has been talking about big games and supporting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who he felt deserved to be named MVP. Sadly for Shaq, Shai was eliminated in the second round.
To sum up, there’s no need for concern regarding the relationship between TNT and Shaq. The NBA legend is a multi-talented and multi-business man; it’s possible that he missed the Game 7 show due to an unforeseen engagement.
