With the 2025-26 season officially here, fans will be treated to a myriad of NBA programming including the vastly popular “Inside the NBA.”
Inside the NBA has become one of the premier programs that discuss the league at large and features an iconic, star-studded cast of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal. The four men bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise on the league, though also have endeared themselves to fans with their special brand of humor and mischief.
The critically-acclaimed studio show has won 21 Emmy Awards, a testament to its long-lasting cultural impact in the basketball and sports world. Formerly broadcast on TNT, Inside The NBA makes its move to ESPN and ABC and promises to deliver the same format and content that fans are used to.
Inside The NBA will continue to be produced by TNT Sports from its Atlanta studio. The program will air an hour before tipoff for games broadcast on ESPN, while ABC games will have the show aired 30 minutes prior. The postgame shows will air immediately after game coverage on both networks.
There was a stretch during the TV negotiations that cast doubt over the future of Inside The NBA given the program belonged to TNT and had been a staple of their rotation. Although things wound up working out in the show’s favor, O’Neal and the rest of the cast had a heartfelt farewell to TNT for all the memories.
In an era where content is in abundance in the form of streaming, podcasts and video, Inside The NBA has a uniqueness and cultural significance that can’t be found anywhere. Johnson’s ability to introduce and explain various topics makes him the perfect front man for O’Neal, Barkley and Smith.
Fans will be able to catch every show in the ESPN app as well as in the “Inside The NBA” streaming hub.
NBA coverage will continue to evolve through the numerous reporters and creators in the industry, but Inside The NBA should remain a constant for the basketball fans who have grown to love and appreciate the show for what it is.
Full “Inside the NBA” schedule for the 2025-26 season
Oct. 22, 2025 – ESPN and ESPN2
Oct. 23, 2025 – ESPN
Oct. 29, 2025 – ESPN
Nov. 12, 2025 – ESPN
Dec. 25, 2025 – ESPN and ABC
Jan. 24, 2026 – ABC
Jan. 28, 2026 – ESPN
Jan. 31, 2026 – ABC
Feb. 7, 2026 – ABC
Feb. 20, 2026 – ESPN
Feb. 21, 2026 – ABC
Feb. 22, 2026 – ABC
Feb. 27, 2026 – ESPN
Feb. 28, 2026 – ABC
March 1, 2026 – ABC
March 6, 2026 – ESPN
March 7, 2026 – ABC
March 8, 2026 – ABC
March 14, 2026 – ABC
April 12, 2026 – ESPN
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