Shaquille O’Neal’s impromptu walk-off on TNT’s Inside the NBA went viral and became one of the most talked-about clips of the week on social media. The unexpected nature of his departure, coupled with the funny reaction from his friends, went viral, and the viewers felt the reason why the show is still the best-loved show in sports media.
Shaq’s On-Air Dash Sparks Laughter
The event took place in the middle of the segment as the hosts were delving into the NBA playoff games for that night. Out of the blue, O’Neal stood up, and strolled off the set. The hosts, namely Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Ernie Johnson, got the hint right away.
“You okay, big fella?” said Barkley, as the rest of the team laughed. O’Neal said, “Keep talking, Chuck,” before going off-screen. Smith said, “That’s that olive oil you’ve been drinking,” jokingly referring to Shaq’s representation of health by drinking the said oil.
While O’Neal was out of sight, Barkley and Smith continued to banter, ordering the crew to “turn his mic off” and ridiculing the urgency of his trip. When Shaq came back, he blamed Barkley’s detailed analysis for holding up the break, saying, “I’m sitting here like, ‘Shut the hell up and hurry up.’”
Social Media Erupts
Videos of the moment were all over the internet on different platforms. The clips became viral and prompted fans to attach titles like “Shaq couldn’t hold it any longer” and “This is why Inside the NBA is gold.”
One X (formerly Twitter) user posted, “And to think we almost lost Inside the NBA,” indicating the show’s upcoming network transition. The video drawing attention to the show’s genuine, unscripted chemistry being a key reason for its enduring popularity.
NBA’s Inside Set to Make the Big Move to ESPN
The accident happened were taken aback by the timing of the event, as Inside the NBA is just a few weeks away from changing its home from TNT to ESPN. The program note that the broadcasting of the NBA games being aired by ESPN/ABC, Amazon, and NBC would leave Turner is going to be taken over by ESPN.
The four hosts are: Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson of the same certainty with regards to the matter. The kind of humor and the openness of the show is a big topic of discussion among loyal fans who want to be assured its migration to the new platform does not affect its outgoing atmosphere, but the two networks’ executives have promised the lightness of the show would not be compromised.
What’s In Store for the Show in the Future and the Farewell Season
To commemorate the show’s time on TNT, a documentary has been going on that features the behind-the-scenes of Inside the NBA. In making the film, the footage is going to be seen for the first time and the show’s journey to becoming iconic will be further explored.
The sentiment expressed by Johnson was unique in its sense of loss and triumph in a recent episode, while the show was yet to exit TNT. The combined statistical analysis and humorous conversations of the crew have, more than just basketball die-hards, built them a big following.
It might be that Shaquille O’Neal’s quick exit to the bathroom was not expected, but it was just the thing to reflect the unstripped vigor and spirit of Inside the NBA. Before its presentation at ESPN, the show indeed exhibits the similar flavor with personalities and happenings like these.
When the team of Inside the NBA is not discussing the game and has great engagement and communication without press, they are living proof that good TV still exists when everyone is relaxed,–may be, when someone is persistently trying to demand an exit from the show, they still manage to make everyone entertained.
