Ex-ESPN Employee Predicts Major Shakeup for Inside the NBA, After Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal’s Rebellion

TNT’s Inside the NBA crew—Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Ernie Johnson—turned their final show into a moment fans won’t forget. As the broadcast wrapped, Shaq and Kenny made their feelings clear about the move to ESPN. And they didn’t sugarcoat it. Mid-sentence, both dropped F-bombs in what felt like a shot across the bow.

Naturally, that moment got fans talking. But Shaq didn’t stop there. He made it clear that wherever the crew ends up, they’re not coming to play nice. “We coming with that same energy,” he fired off, before casually letting an F-word slip live on air—something Smith backed up right after.

Soon after that episode aired, the buzz made its way to the Bill Simmons Podcast, where former ESPN employee Bill Simmons gave his take, and it wasn’t subtle. Speaking on ESPN’s next move, he warned, “That’s the thing ESPN can’t risk with that show.” Simmons stressed that the show’s appeal has always come from authenticity and freedom. Moments like Barkley’s unscripted “bull—-” explosive or Shaq’s blunt “we getting fired anyway” quip. Without Barkley and Smith’s chemistry, he argued, the format collapses.

Then Simmons doubled down, adding, “You have to have these guys after games weighing in, in a big picture on stuff that only really \[Charles] Barkley and Kenny [Smith], like that’s, that’s where the show really matters and they can’t f— with it.” Ryen Russillo then threw in a wildcard: “What if they replaced Kenny with Mina Kimes? With ESPN people?” That hypothetical alone could send shockwaves through the fanbase.

Ryen Russillo LIGHTLY SUGGESTS that ESPN could replace Kenny Smith with Mina Kimes on “Inside the NBA” pic.twitter.com/WF236nLFsi

— The r/BillSimmons Podcast (@rBillSimmonsPod) June 2, 2025

To wrap it all up, Simmons teased the idea of “crossover appeal, like off the Stephen A. point.” But with Kenny and Shaq making their stance crystal clear on national TV, ESPN might want to think twice before changing the formula. The question remains: can ESPN maintain the freewheeling banter that’s won 21 Sports Emmys, or will network pressures force a watered-down version?

Shaquille O’Neal & Kenny Smith drop F-bomb warnings to ESPN

Shaquille O’Neal made it clear they’re not showing up to play nice. Right in the middle of their final TNT broadcast, Shaq didn’t mince words. “And to that new network we’re coming to, we’re not coming to F around. Since it’s the last show, [I’ll] say it, we’re not coming to f— around,” he declared. Then he doubled down: “We’re kicking a–, we’re taking names, and we’re taking over. Ok? I love you guys, I appreciate you guys, but hey, and we’re coming over to take over that next network, too.” Kenny Smith echoed the same fired-up vibe, standing firmly behind his longtime teammate.

Now, that energy might sound like rebellion, but it’s also loyalty. A loyalty to what Inside the NBA has built for years. Though not everyone came in with fire. Charles Barkley took a more measured route. “To ESPN, it’s gonna be an honor and a privilege to work for you guys. You guys are the No. 1 sports network in history. I’m excited for it, you guys have some tremendous talents over there. I’m looking forward to co-working with those guys.”

Still, even in the nostalgia, the message was about moving forward. Shaq, who’s been part of the crew since 2011, looked straight ahead, calling this moment a “new beginning.” And he meant it in every way.

“There is an old saying that when something passes away, something is reborn. And yes, it is the ending of Inside the NBA on TNT,” he said. “But it is a new beginning for us… Whatever network we’re coming to, we’re bringing the pain… You can never kill the four horsemen.”

The legacy might be shifting platforms, but according to Shaq, it’s still alive and kicking.

The post Ex-ESPN Employee Predicts Major Shakeup for Inside the NBA, After Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal’s Rebellion appeared first on EssentiallySports.