Inside the NBA analyst Kenny Smith made a striking declaration about his show’s cultural legacy. He credits the program with shaping the freedom and format that created the blueprint for what podcasting has become. Smith was a guest on The Pivot podcast.
What We Know: Inside the NBA debuted on TNT in 1989 — well before podcasting emerged as a medium in the early 2000s. The show pioneered unscripted, personality-driven panel conversation in sports television. Moreover, it was among the first television programs to blend basketball with pop culture, social justice, and fashion. That wide-ranging, candid formula later became the foundation of today’s most popular sports podcasts.
What They Said: Kenny Smith believes that Inside the NBA influenced the spark for sports podcasting: “I’m gonna say it. This is not offensive. We created what the podcast world is now. Because the way we behaved allowed people to have more of a freedom of speech.”
Kenny Smith on how Charles Barkley’s addition helped influence that blueprint for sports podcasting: “We were really good before Chuck came on. Chuck just threw gasoline on the fire. What Chuck has allowed people to see is a different side of me. Now I get asked questions that I never got asked before. He was one of those guys in the locker room — would be like, ‘Okay, you had 20 points.’ Then they go, ‘What about George Floyd?’ He was the only guy in the locker room they would ask.”
What Remains Unclear: Podcasting as a formal distribution medium didn’t take shape until around 2004. Consequently, whether Inside the NBA directly influenced podcast creators — or simply ran a parallel cultural track — remains an open question.
What It Means: There’s no questioning that Inside the NBA’s approach to basketball coverage has been truly influential. It singlehandedly drove interest in keeping NBA broadcast rights on the TNT Sports brand for decades. The show also became a central point for basketball fans to find attachment to a changing style of play leaning on the wisdom of the old guard. Smith’s comments arrive as Inside the NBA continues navigating its transition from TNT to ESPN. It’s debatable if the show still has the relevance it once had among basketball fans. With the second year ahead with it’s collaboration with ESPN, we will see if Inside the NBA can rebound from a shaky first year with the network.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
