Shaquille O’Neal joked on Thursday night that he could say whatever he wanted to on TNT airwaves.
“In the words of Marshawn Lynch, ‘I’m tired as s**t, America.’ We getting fired anyway, Ernie. F**k it,” the Hall of Fame center said during Inside the NBA.
“In the words of Marshawn Lynch, ‘I’m tired as shit, America.’ We getting fired anyway, Ernie. Fuck it.”
Shaq, after a race to the board. pic.twitter.com/edrV0gmEXk
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 14, 2025
But while he may very well be able to get away with plenty, O’Neal isn’t actually going anywhere. In fact, he’s getting a massive raise.
According to Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy, the 52-year-old NBA legend has agreed to a long-term extension with TNT, which will pay him $15 million per year — up $5 million from his previously reported $10 million salary. It’s worth noting that O’Neal’s agreement with Authentic Brands Group reportedly gives the company 50 percent of his future lifetime earnings, including on his broadcasting deals.
The four-time NBA champion’s re-signing with TNT comes amid Inside the NBA‘s final season on the network’s airwaves, effectively ending any speculation regarding his future on the show. While TNT Sports will continue to produce the show, it will be leased to ESPN when the NBA’s new media rights deal — which doesn’t include TNT — goes into effect next season.
O’Neal’s pending free agency possessed the potential to leave a sizable void on the Inside the NBA set as the storied studio show prepares to move to ESPN’s airwaves next fall. All indications, however, had been that the 2000 NBA MVP would be re-signing with the network, alongside fellow co-host Kenny Smith.
Meanwhile, Charles Barkley has been more evasive about his future, recently revealing that he’s he’s had discussions with new NBA media partners NBC and Amazon. After initially announcing that he’d retire from broadcasting, the Hall of Fame power forward reaffirmed his commitment to Warner Bros. Discovery, but has insisted that his contract allows him to consider his options elsewhere after TNT lost its NBA rights.
At this point, it’s unclear whether that’s actually the case or if Barkley is merely posturing for a new deal, himself. What does appear to be certain, however, is that O’Neal will not only be remaining a part of Inside the NBA moving forward, but will do so as one of the richest analysts in all of sports.
