Each year, the crew on TNT’s Inside the NBA delivers plenty of laughs, with Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley regularly taking jabs at each other. Tuesday night, the trio was in full form as the NBA’s opening night doubleheader featured matchups between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves.
However, the action on the court wasn’t the only source of entertainment, as the crew took a lighthearted break to challenge Barkley—and hilarity ensued.
During the broadcast, Smith and O’Neal decided to test Barkley’s ability to recite the alphabet, but with a twist—they asked him to start from the letter “R.” What followed was a moment of pure comedy gold, as Barkley’s attempt quickly went off the rails.
“I bet you can’t recite the alphabet starting from the letter ‘R,'” Smith taunted, grinning as the rest of the crew looked on. O’Neal added fuel to the fire, instructing Barkley, “Don’t think!”
Barkley, always game for a challenge, hesitated for a split second before bursting into laughter, as did the rest of the panel. The hesitation was all Smith and O’Neal needed to pounce. “You need help with that, that’s how I know,” Smith said, unable to contain his amusement. “Oh my gosh, this is what I work with,” he added, poking fun at Barkley’s momentary brain freeze.
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Despite Barkley’s good-natured stumble, this exchange highlighted what fans love most about the Inside the NBA crew—their ability to balance insightful basketball analysis with moments of lighthearted fun.
The chemistry between the personalities on the panel is a big part of what has made the show a fan favorite over the years, with many viewers tuning in just as much for the off-court antics as for the on-court breakdowns.
It’s these types of moments that make Inside the NBA stand out from other sports shows, where humor and genuine camaraderie reign supreme.
In fact, it’s hard to imagine the landscape of NBA coverage without this iconic crew—making it all the more bittersweet as this season marks the final year of the show on TNT.
The network’s new media rights deal with the league does not include Inside the NBA, meaning fans will soon have to say goodbye to this beloved group.
As for the actual games on opening night, the Celtics raised their 2024 NBA championship banner and then dominated the Knicks, winning by 23 points and tying the record for most three-pointers made in a single game with 29.
In the night’s second matchup, the Lakers bested the Timberwolves, but the real story was LeBron and Bronny James making history as the first father-son duo to ever play together in an NBA game.
While the basketball world was focused on historic moments on the court, Barkley’s hilarious alphabet challenge fail served as a reminder of what makes Inside the NBA such a joy to watch—the humor, spontaneity, and genuine friendship that make even the silliest moments unforgettable.