Inside The NBA On ESPN Set For 30-Minute Slot

ESPN’s first look at their NBA schedule reveals some surprising changes for the beloved Inside the NBA show when it moves to the network this fall.

The iconic studio program will get just a 30-minute timeslot following ESPN’s first doubleheader on October 22, according to Sports Media Watch’s Jon Lewis.

That’s a significant cut from what fans are used to.

Inside the NBA will air from 12:05-12:35 a.m. ET before handing off to SportsCenter. The show typically ran for about 50 minutes in recent years on TNT, rarely wrapping up before the 40-minute mark.

Sources say the half-hour window might be flexible depending on ratings.

Even more interesting? The show doesn’t appear on ESPN’s schedule for the following night’s doubleheader, which leads directly into SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt.

TNT’s NBA Tip-Off will serve as the pregame show for both nights of coverage.

The New NBA Media Landscape

This scheduling news comes after the NBA’s massive media shakeup last July, when the league announced its games would be split between Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon Prime Video.

Inside the NBA found a new home at ESPN and ABC after Warner Bros. Discovery and the NBA worked out a deal last November.

The good news for fans? The show’s legendary quartet of Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson Jr., Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal are all staying put.

Warner Bros. Television Studios will produce the program under the TNT Sports brand, maintaining some continuity despite the network change.

When You’ll See Inside the NBA

The show won’t appear on every NBA broadcast. It’s scheduled for conference finals, playoffs, ABC games after January 1, Christmas Day, opening week, the final week of the season, and other big events.

“Inside the NBA is universally recognized as one of the best and most culturally impactful shows in sports,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement.

“We have long admired the immensely talented team and are thrilled to add their chemistry and knowledge to our robust set of NBA studio offerings to super-serve NBA fans like never before.”

As part of this reshuffling, TNT Sports will also begin showing 13 Big 12 football and 15 men’s basketball games this season through a sublicense with ESPN.

The upcoming 2025-26 season kicks off ESPN’s 11-year rights extension with the NBA.