Inside The NBA - Overview

Overview

Inside the NBA has gained popularity in recent years for the chemistry and banter of Johnson, Smith and Barkley.

Barkley has been known for his controversial comments and outrageous bets. During the 2006 NBA Playoffs, in response to performer David Blaine's attempt to stay under water for nine minutes, Barkley duplicated the stunt with a small tub of water but only managed to stay under water for 24 seconds. In late 2002, Barkley told Kenny Smith that he would "kiss ass" if Houston Rockets then-rookie Yao Ming scored nineteen points in a game, which was followed by Yao doing exactly that later that week. As a result, on Listen Up! With Charles Barkley and Ernie Johnson that Thursday, Barkley kissed the rear end of a donkey that Smith brought into the studio. Barkley has also been weighed on air several times, and once said "bullshit" live on air. In 2002, a controversial Sports Illustrated cover, in which Barkley was portrayed in chains (as a slave), led to a sometimes heated debate on the TNT studio show. Smith has also been the brunt of jokes before, an example being the "retirement" of his jersey on air. In reality, it was a Tracy McGrady jersey with Smith's name put on a clothesline and "raised" to the TNT studio roof on a clothsline with various undergarments. Most of the jokes were featured as Ernie Johnson's EJ's Neat-o Stat of the Night.

The popularity of the program has led the NBA to air reruns of the show (as well as reruns other TNT NBA studio programs, NBA Tipoff, the T-Mobile Halftime Report and the Southwest Airlines Game Break) on the TNT OverTime on NBA.com.