Premiere of 'Inside the NBA,' er, 'NBA Tip-Off' starts with good-natured digs at ESPN

The set is backmost together, adjacent though they ne'er truly parted.

Departed? Sure. The unit that comprised “Inside the NBA” moved from TNT erstwhile the cablegram web mislaid its NBA broadcast rights to ESPN, NBC and Amazon aft past season.

But the ensemble that someway is greater than the sum of its star-studded parts continues — albeit present nether the rubric “NBA Tip-Off.”

The acquainted lineup of Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal and Ernie Johnson reunited for a pregame amusement up of ESPN’s doubleheader Wednesday, with the Cleveland Cavaliers visiting the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs visiting the Dallas Mavericks.

And they poked amusive astatine themselves and astatine the Worldwide Leader. Any fears that ESPN suits would code down the rollicking, often hilarious dynamic the quartet brought to the past decade-plus of the 36-year “Inside the NBA” tally were rapidly doused.

O’Neal opened by admonishing Johnson for mentioning the NBA‘s opening games Tuesday night, which broadcast connected NBC and the Peacock streaming service.

“You are expected to say, this is TRON — the existent opening night,” O’Neal said to laughs. “Don’t hide who we are, boys.”

Johnson mildly pushed back, replying, “Don’t beryllium that way!” to much laughs.

O’Neal said Smith was astir precocious for the show, and Smith said, “I haven’t been that tense since Game 7 of the NBA Finals.”

Barkley, who had been the astir vocal skeptic of leaving TNT for ESPN, seconded that sentiment, saying “I was tense each day.” But earlier helium could proceed successful a much superior vein, Johnson interrupted and clips were shown of Barkley expressing doubts astir ESPN connected the “Dan Patrick Show” and different outlets.

More laughs ensued, though Barkley did his champion to toed the institution line, saying, “I’m not gonna lie. Every idiosyncratic who ever touched a shot wanted to beryllium connected ESPN. They are the top sports web ever. And to beryllium moving with these guys is an grant and a privilege.”

Johnson echoed Barkley, saying, “It is simply a imagination travel true,” and asked Smith if helium felt the aforesaid way. Smith sighed and replied, “I volition reply yes, but bash you each privation a napkin for each that kissing up?”

The laughs continued erstwhile a clip of Barkley earlier expressing interest astir the workload astatine ESPN was followed by a graphic that displayed his Thursday enactment “schedule,” which included appearances each hr of the day, including during broadcasts of World Axe Throwing League and the American Cornhole League.

Basketball investigation did yet travel the jokes and jabs, with O’Neal making a somewhat-bold prediction regarding oft-injured erstwhile Lakers large antheral Anthony Davis, who present plays successful Dallas: “If A.D. plays 65 games, the Dallas Mavericks volition beryllium successful the Western Conference finals.”

“NBA Tip-Off” was acceptable to aerial segments pregame, halftime and postgame during Wednesday’s doubleheader, and ESPN announced it volition aerial 20 days during the regular play astir games broadcast connected ESPN and ABC.

Formats volition beryllium antithetic connected each network. Pregame shows connected ESPN volition statesman an hr earlier tipoff and postgame shows volition commencement close aft the last horn. Pregame shows connected ABC volition statesman 30 minutes earlier tipoff. with postgame shows airing lone aft Saturday prime-time games. The NBA Sunday Showcase bid connected ABC besides volition diagnostic an “NBA Tip-Off” pregame show.

“We’re arrogant that ‘Inside the NBA’ — 1 of the astir iconic and beloved shows successful each of media — volition play a starring relation successful our NBA coverage,” ESPN president of contented Burke Magnus said successful a connection 2 weeks ago. “Fans should expect the aforesaid large amusement they’re accustomed to watching arsenic it becomes an indispensable portion of the highest-profile events successful the NBA, including the NBA Finals.”

There was speech a fewer months agone that TNT could nutrient a abstracted amusement with the aforesaid cast, since this season’s “NBA Tip-Off” volition proceed to beryllium produced successful TNT’s Atlanta studios. Barkley seemingly enactment the kibosh connected that conception erstwhile helium said a aviator TNT taped was “just anserine stuff.”

“Number one, we won’t person hoops highlights [on TNT],” Barkley said successful June. “But also, we’re astir apt gonna beryllium going up against an NBA game. And anybody who likes hoops ain’t gonna say, ‘Hey, you cognize what? Let maine crook disconnected an NBA crippled connected Amazon, ESPN oregon NBC to spell ticker these 4 dudes beryllium astir and speech astir nothing.’”

Instead, the quartet volition proceed to speech hoops and commercialized zingers, but lone connected ESPN and ABC.

“Inside the NBA” 2025-26 regular play broadcast schedule

2025
Oct. 22: ESPN and ESPN2
Oct. 23: ESPN
Oct. 29: ESPN
Nov. 12: ESPN
Dec. 25: ESPN and ABC

2026
Jan. 24: ABC
Jan. 28: ESPN
Jan. 31: ABC
Feb. 7: ABC
Feb. 20: ESPN
Feb. 21: ABC
Feb. 22: ABC
Feb. 27: ESPN
Feb. 28: ABC
March 1: ABC
March 6: ESPN
March 7: ABC
March 8: ABC
March 14: ABC
April 12: ESPN