Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal, and crew feel like ‘LeBron James in free agency’ as fan-favorite show comes to end
After the NBA rights saga, Kenny Smith has revealed how him, Shaquille O'Neal and rest of Inside the NBA crew get asked about their futures.
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Kenny Smith, Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James (Images via FOX News/NBA)
It is now certain that the popular show, Inside the NBA, will not be returning after the 2025 season. With Amazon Prime winning the bid against TNT for the NBA rights deal, any possibility that Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and the rest of the crew could continue with the show has ended. That said, the basketball legends have opened up on how they feel lately.
Speaking on USA TODAY Sports recently, Smith disclosed how the entire crew get questions daily about what’s in store for them after the show.
Everywhere I go, I get asked, 'What are you gonna do? What are you guys gonna do?'... I was in every country in the world... And everyone will ask me the same question. For me, I just feel like we are like LeBron James in his free agent year. Like we gonna have to do this press thing and go... I think we've become a part of the fabric of the NBA, where people listen to the voice of the NBA through us.Kenny Smith on USA Today Sports
As stated by Smith, fans are concerned about what lies ahead for him and the rest of the crew, including Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, and Ernie Johnson. The 59-year-old pointed out that across every country he visited, those kinds of questions always keep coming. Kenny Smith further feels they all are now in the shoes of LeBron James, just like it was for the Lakers star during his free agency.
With the reputation of the show and the passion fans have for it, people were sad to hear that it will be gone. And it’s hardly surprising, given the fact that the four hosts are all renowned legends of the game. Especially as the show itself was tightly woven into the very fabric of basketball and has been just so for years.
Shaquille O’Neal boasts how nobody has ever dunked on him
During his playing days with the Los Angeles Lakers, Shaquille O’Neal was so powerful that few players could dare to stop him. Not only was he a huge problem for opposing teams, but his incredible dunks also left many superstars ashamed.
In an episode of his podcast, Big Shaq boasted that throughout the course of his legendary career, not one player in the NBA has ever dunked on him.
I've been dunked by it thousands of times... Dunk on to me is chest to chest. I see you coming, alright, okay, then I challenge you.Shaquille O’Neal on The Big Podcast
According to O’Neal, no one has successfully dunked by facing him straight on. The basketball legend further remarked that is why there is a huge difference between dunked on and dunked by. The 52-year-old former center was an imposing figure on the court and is widely known for his attacking prowess, but also his defensive abilities as well.
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Peter Okereke
(98 Articles Published)