Shaquille O’Neal is making sure NBA Showtime, NBA on Prime, and Countdown know their place, sitting far behind Inside the NBA.
As the NBA unveiled its new media partnerships with NBC and Prime Video, it did so while putting an emphasis on celebrating the game. Previously, Shaq and Charles Barkley have been accused of being too critical of the league alongside Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith on Inside the NBA. But as those other studio shows helped usher in a new media rights era, O’Neal would like everyone to remember, Inside the NBA is still the studio leader.
O’Neal joined ESPN Radio’s The Rich Eisen Show on Friday afternoon, where he was asked about Inside the NBA’s debut on the Worldwide Leader. And while O’Neal praised ESPN for leaving Inside the NBA alone, he also took a look at their new competition and laughed.
“The ESPN executives did a great job when they came and met with us, and they said, ‘We’re not gonna bother you.’ And I said, ‘What about when Chuck talks about San Antonio women?’” O’Neal recalled of their late September meeting. “They said, ‘We’ll deal with that when it happens, but we’re not gonna bother you, we’re not gonna micromanage you guys, it’s gonna be the same show.’
“Shout out to all the guys at TNT that fought for keeping it the same. Cause I’m looking at all the other shows, they’re not even close,” O’Neal said with a laugh. “They’re not even close! You can’t say it, but I can.”
Those other studio shows boast impressive casts. NBC’s NBA Showtime features Maria Taylor, Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady, while Prime Video launched with Taylor Rooks, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Blake Griffin, and Udonis Haslem on set.
As popular as Inside the NBA might be with basketball fans, they have shown a tendency to ruffle feathers with current players and coaches in recent seasons. But if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. While new media partners might be looking to put a more positive spin on their coverage, don’t expect Shaq to conform.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com