Originally set to debut last year, TNT’s four-night documentary on Inside the NBA, titled The Inside Story is finally set to premiere this week
For more than 30 years, Inside the NBA has entertained basketball fans, continuing to grow in popularity with its current cast, featuring host Ernie Johnson along with analysts Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal. The show reached new heights with the addition of Barkley’s unfiltered personality in 2000, and later rounded out the current cast with O’Neal in 2012.
Over the course of more than 20 years It’s not surprising to hear the relationship may have been strained at various times during their tenure together. Prior to the documentary airing, Sports Illustrated’s JimmyTraina shared a clip of the hosts discussing the time a usually even-keeled Ernie Johnson lost his cool on set because Barkley ripped his show notes in half.
“He didn’t speak to us the rest of the show,” said Smith, who was guilty of encouraging Barkley. “I was scared. I was like ‘Ernie might swing on me.’ He was like, ‘You started it because you gave him the notes.’”
As entertaining as he is, Barkley doesn’t seem like the easiest person to work with. If I had to guess the worst incident he caused during his more than two decades on Inside The NBA, I probably would’ve picked something other than tearing notes in half. But Johnson explained, it was a sign that Barkley and Smith didn’t respect what he did for the show. And for someone with Johnson’s work ethic and credentials, feeling disrespected is much worse than ripped paper.
Beginning Wednesday, March 4, the four-night documentary presented by TNT will look back at the effect the show made on the NBA. Over 100 interviews were conducted for the documentary, featuring personalities such as Bob Costas, Snoop Dogg and Magic Johnson. Further exemplifying their impact on the sport, Inside The NBA will also be honored with the Curt Gowdy Transformative Media Award later this year.
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at Brandon.Contes@gmail.com.
