Stephen A. facing snub from Shaq and Charles Barkley’s Inside the NBA

ESPN has acquired fan-favorite show Inside the NBA, but they have no intention of adding Stephen A. Smith to the roster.

Warner Bros. Discovery struck a deal with ESPN to allow the show to air on the network starting in the 2025-26 season.

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The show will still be ran and produced by TNT, the only difference is that it will air on ESPN.

“They’re going to produce it, and that’s exactly what we want,” Magnus said on the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast.

“Of course we’re not going to change the show.

“Why would we take something so successful and so iconic, bring it over and then be like, ‘We know better, we’re gonna change it.'”

Magnus made sure to emphasize that the version of Inside the NBA that fans love will be the same version they see on ESPN.

“We don’t want to change it. We don’t want to interject new talent into it,” he said.

“We don’t want to really do anything to it.”

Not changing the show means not adding anyone to the show, meaning Stephen A. Smith won’t be added to the cast.

Instead, Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith will have their usual duties on Inside the NBA.

“They’ll do the NBA Final,” Magnus said.

“They’ll do a Conference Final, which is part of a new rights agreement. They’ll do pretty much the entire playoff run.

“And then they’ll do primarily during the regular season, the Saturday night and/or Sunday afternoon window on ABC.

“And then there’s a mechanism for some select games on ESPN. Opening Night, a tentpole regular-season game that happens to fall in November or December.

“For example, if we had had Boston-Cleveland Tuesday night, that would’ve been a perfect way to activate for that game for ESPN. And then Christmas Day and that sort of thing.”

Fans were thrilled to find out that Stephen A. won’t be forced into Inside the NBA, and shared their happiness on social media.

“WE WON,” one fan said.

“Thank god,” another fan said.

“That would’ve legit ruined the show. Finally a ESPN W decision,” a third fan said.

“You know the crew did not want him lol… Charles and Shaq would make life hell for him,” a fourth fan said.

“Well done ESPN,” a fifth fan said.