Rumors and reports are swirling about the impending disintegration of the quintessential NBA pregame show, Inside the NBA on TNT. This program has set a standard for basketball discourse with the illustrious crew of Ernie Johnson, Jr., Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley.
Their essence is more than just decades of basketball knowledge and accomplishments. In truth, this TNT crew stands in rarified broadcasting air with the likes of Howard Cosell, Frank Gifford, and Don Meredith on Monday Night Football.
With NBC poised to make a run at pilfering the NBA from TNT, we may be looking at the end of an era. So, let’s play along and assume that next season is the last hurrah for this roundball wrecking crew. In television, when the end is near, two results can occur. A broadcast team can engage in self-pity and mail in their final shows, or they can make the most of their moments and deliver sterling performances.
Clearly, the TNT crew has embraced the latter. This was no more evident than on May 28 with Game 4 of the Western Conference Final series between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Dallas Mavericks. On this night, the TNT pregame show foursome, joined by Draymond Green, delivered a positively beautiful performance.
Like an operatic aria or a Shakespearean soliloquy, Johnson, O’Neal, Smith, and Barkley took the stage and created epic moments. As always, it is Johnson who sets the tenor and tone of the discussion. He is a broadcasting icon, but also an anomaly.
Johnson is not blessed with the vivacity, voice, or volume of the prototypical sportscaster. In fact, in his early bespectacled days, Ernie Johnson looked more like Ernie Douglas from the old My Three Sons sitcom, but Johnson’s talent has never been about the surface. He is just really good at what he does. Johnson brings a depth of emotion and understanding to every show – competent and committed, prepared and passionate, solid and sensitive.
Similarly, Kenny Smith takes a singularly unique approach to his role on the show. In commenting on the Timberwolves, he offered a global view of the team saying that it is about more than just this series vs. Dallas. For them, Smith said, it is a mandate as to whether the Wolves are going to be true championship contenders for years to come or one year wonders.
The always awesome TNT production crew showed a telling graphic of how Dallas closed games one through three by erasing late game Minnesota’s leads. The NBA on TNT consistently has a smooth rhythm between the on-air talent and the behind-the-scenes production team. Each episode is synchronized, seamless, and statistically satisfying.
Early in the broadcast, Johnson threw to Allie LaForce, a courtside reporter of the highest caliber. LaForce is one of those vital sideline reporters who bring substance and important details to a broadcast. Her standups are not just a break from the set or booth. She is thorough, prepared, and proactive. LaForce is one of my favorite reporters along with Lisa Salters, Melissa Stark, and the fast-rising Meghan McKeown.
With Minnesota facing a deep deficit in the series, Smith again rose above cliched commentary when he opined that to be an NBA player, you have to be delusional. Smith expounded on that premise saying that you have to be delusional to think you can make it as an NBA player and that Minnesota has to be delusional and truly believe that they can come back in the series. The Wolves obviously did just that, winning Game 4.
Smith brings these delicious morsels to the broadcast table every night. The dude has depth and is so captivating to listen to and watch. I see a lot of Kenny Smith in FS1’s Emmanuel Acho and CBS’ Nate Burleson. These chaps seek out original angles and articulate them perfectly.
At different times in their NBA playing careers O’Neal, Smith, and Barkley took important leadership roles on their respective teams. Barkley talked about how important it is for playoff teams to set the tone at home games – getting the crowd into the game and being aggressive from the opening jump. Of course, fearless aggression has been Barkley’s calling card both as a player and a personality.
While the first 20 minutes of this edition of the show showcased the immense strengths of its talent, the show rose to a completely different level when Johnson introduced a tribute to NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton, who passed away on May 27 at the age of 71.
TNT’s Reggie Miller joined the crew on set and began what I believe was the best all-around segment of the entire NBA media season. Miller talked about his personal connection to Walton, as both men were sublime players at UCLA. He explained that Walton would often return to UCLA to mentor young players not only on basketball, but on life.
Barkley then chimed in talking about Walton’s bigger than life personality. He said that he never met a person who was more of a joy to be around than Bill Walton and told us that one of his most prized possessions is a photo of him with Walton and Bill Russell.
You could tell that Barkley was truly touched and moved by Walton’s passing and his legacy. “Our basketball hearts are heavy,” said Barkley. “The world is not as good a place as it was yesterday because we lost Bill Walton.”
Johnson talked personally about the strong connection between Walton and legendary UCLA Head Coach John Wooden while Green recalled Bill Walton visiting the Warriors often when his son Luke Walton was on Steve Kerr’s coaching staff.
Perhaps the most candid discussion about Walton came from O’Neal. Walton was a part of O’Neal’s personal Big Man Alliance along with Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell. He frankly revealed that he and Walton had many difficulties in their relationship and that Walton was quite critical of him early in his career.
O’Neal got emotional as he talked about how he first resented Walton, but over time, realize that Walton was just trying to make him a better player and person. It was a deeply personal confession. Smith added to the tribute reminiscing about taking NBA sponsored trips with Walton and listening to his many stories over the years. He also said that if Walton played today, he would be on a par with two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić.
Johnson got deeply personal in his recollections. He read an actual email that Walton sent to him when Johnson’s mother passed away. It was a truly touching moment as the show went to break to which Barkley responded, “That’s a mic drop, Ernie.”
The Walton tribute was sports television in its highest art form. One by one, these men took off their jovial veneers and bared their souls. If Inside the NBA as we know it is nearly done, this should be the Hall of Fame and time capsule episode. It had absolutely everything – debate, basketball analysis, humor, and the heartfelt, in-depth ideals of a basketball genius collective.
Johnson, O’Neal, Smith, and Barkley form a quintessential quartet of quality quipsters. They are a group of ex-players led by a seasoned TV pro who came together to talk hoops and ended up changing studio sports television forever.
If next season is indeed their swan song, let’s just realize what we have been privileged to watch. This foursome ranks with the best far beyond basketball – like Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr making music; Grier, Olsen, Jones, and Lundy making tackles; Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion making their way down the Yellow Brick Road; or Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer making nothing. They are quite simply the very best.
John Molori is a weekly columnist for Barrett Sports Media. He has previously contributed to ESPNW, Patriots Football Weekly, Golf Content Network, Methuen Life Magazine, and wrote a syndicated Media Blitz column in the New England region, which was published by numerous outlets including The Boston Metro, Providence Journal, Lowell Sun, and the Eagle-Tribune. His career also includes fourteen years in television as a News and Sports Reporter, Host, Producer working for Continental Cablevision, MediaOne, and AT&T. He can be reached on Twitter @MoloriMedia.
It delighted me to read this article regarding TNT’s broadcast crew. I couldn’t agree more with Mr. Molori’s takes therein. Just wanted to add how much I admire Shaq’s contributions to the program, and perhaps more importantly, how he makes them in his own unique style. He takes his time, he is unhurried, adds his own brand of humor, and like a fine wine has become better with age. Far more than Barkley or Smith, Shaq is a living legend, yes his subdued presnence never boasts or brags, just shares what he sees and has seen.