One of the biggest reasons why Inside The NBA on TNT is so popular is because of the chemistry the panelists have with each other. Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson constantly discuss basketball and everything that happens in the NBA, but their natural charisma and sense of humor allow them to have great banter with each other.
During their post-game discussion, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal were discussing the play between the Suns and the Pelicans. During the game, Devin Booker made a tough shot and then fist-bumped a baby that was sitting courtside. Shaquille O’Neal quipped that his son would have been in the skybox, to which Charles Barkley hilariously responded that Shaq would need a full section of the arena for his kids (1:17 onwards).
“If you had all your kids you would have a whole section.”
Barkley and O’Neal have a history of making fun of each other on the show. One of the biggest selling points of the show is their constant back and forth. But the two have cultivated a good friendship during the many years they’ve been doing the show together, and so they feel very comfortable making jokes at each other’s expense. Shaq is one of the most popular NBA athletes of all time but is also one of the funniest.
O’Neal recently opened up about his divorce and the mistakes he made when he was younger, noting that those mistakes ended up playing a big role in his life. Clearly, O’Neal has learned a lot from that and makes an active effort to try and help other people. Shaq once even bought a young fan some shoes in a mall, after he told him to behave better with his parents. Shaq has made more of an effort to support his community.
