Host Brandon Contes interviews Inside the NBA host and co-host of The Big Podcast with Shaq, Adam Lefkoe. Brandon and Adam discuss a wide range of topics including lots of talk about Inside the NBA and the crew, reporting that Doc Rivers was heading to the Milwaukee Bucks and the uneasiness throughout the night when that wasn’t immediately confirmed, interviewing LeBron James after he broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s career scoring record, and more.
Here’s the full breakdown:
- :55: Going viral
- 1:37: Building an audience after going viral
- 4:08: Building a career in sports media
- 5:52: Starting in the midwest
- 8:05: Syracuse grads entering sports media
- 9:56: Seinfeld
- 10:51: SportsCenter anchor?
- 13:29: Jerry Seinfeld
- 14:30: Being Shaquille O’Neal’s co-host
- 18:35: Similarities between hosting podcast with Shaq and hosting Inside the NBA
- 20:37: Reason why Shaq was late Tuesday night?
- 22:29: Preparation changes when Shaq is late
- 24:21: First season working for TNT
- 29:28: Working in the bubble
- 31:07: Benefits of having Shaq there for the Tuesday show
- 33:19: Pressure of being compared to the Thursday Inside the NBA show?
- 35:37: Camaraderie between both shows
- 37:40: Ernie Johnson as an influence
- 39:29: Getting to know Charles Barkley
- 42:54: Will Charles retire?
- 43:54: What makes the Inside the NBA group so special?
- 46:56: Thinking of the future
- 48:42: Monday Night Football “audition” with Pat McAfee
- 51:31: Envisioning McAfee’s dominance in sports media
- 52:33: Reporting the “Doc Rivers to Bucks” news
- 56:53: Worry about pushback on report
- 58:01: Hosting NBA on TNT Tuesday when LeBron James broke the career scoring record
Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed the show, be sure to subscribe and leave us a positive review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you get our podcasts.

About Phillip Bupp
Producer/editor of the Awful Announcing Podcast and Short and to the Point. News editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. Highlight consultant for Major League Soccer as well as a freelance writer for hire. Opinions are my own but feel free to agree with them.
Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @phillipbupp
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