Shaquille O'Neal, TNT close to a contract extension

We’re hearing Shaquille O’Neal and TNT Sports are close to a contract extension that would keep The Diesel on the Emmy Award–winning Inside the NBA. But just in case, commissioner Adam Silver is urging O’Neal to keep the band together. During an appearance on The Big Podcast with Shaq, the commissioner talked about the value the show brings to the league. Even if the cast’s brutally honest opinions (hello, Sir Charles) tick off some star players.

Source: Front Office Sports

More on this storyline

Joel Rush: Jamal Murray postgame on Shaq's pregame critigue: "He's 100% right. I need to play my best, I need to play better, I've played terrible up until today, and I've struggled. Just take this as a positive note and keep moving. You can't get too high, and you can't get too low." -via Bluesky / January 15, 2025

Although it hasn’t officially gone public, the pugnacious voices of “Inside the NBA” (Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal, to name two) are expected to drop in on the Unrivaled set from time to time, which can only enhance its credibility and reach. “We’re going to be tapping in through the crew over at ‘Inside the NBA,’” Bazzell said. “There’s going to be a lot of collaborative crossover between our players, and then what they’re doing on the NBA program. -via Sports Business Journal / January 11, 2025

Derek Fisher: I think that second year in 2001, that's when it really shifted a little bit. I think Kobe really felt like he was being asked to sacrifice a little too much. You have to remember, Kobe really saw himself—and ultimately became—one of the GOATs. Right? None of the guys on that list were the second guy. I mean, if you really go down the list of players we have GOAT conversations about, I don't know if any of those guys were the second guy. In 2001, Kobe started to feel like, "In order for me to be the GOAT that I know I'm capable of being, I’m willing to put the time in. I’m willing to wake up at 4 in the morning, get no sleep, train hard, play in every game, play through injuries, and do everything to become one of the greatest players of all time. Why am I being asked to do less and be less when my teammate—who is capable of just as much or more greatness—isn't maybe investing that same level of time, energy, etc.?" I think that was the year when it changed a little bit—from the healthy tension that great teams need, to more of a dynamic where one guy is maybe standing in the way of the other. -via YouTube / January 8, 2025

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Shaquille O'Neal, TNT close to a contract extension