Well, what are they gonna do—fire him now?

On what might go down as the most legendary goodbye in basketball TV history, Shaquille O’Neal took TNT’s final broadcast of Inside the NBA and absolutely lit the place on fire—not literally this time, don’t worry. But if you’ve followed Shaq’s arc on this show, you know we’ve come dangerously close to a literal inferno once or twice before. Now, with TNT’s NBA coverage pulling up from 37 feet and airballing into the sunset, the Diesel made sure to send one last message… unfiltered, uncensored, and absolutely unforgettable.

And yep, he broke the one rule that almost cost him his job over a decade ago. The irony? This time, the crowd gave him a standing ovation for it. ” To the new network we’re coming to, we’re not coming to F around. And since it’s the last show, I’m going to say it. We’re not coming to f**k around. We’re kicking ass, we’re taking names, and we’re taking over.” He said.

Let’s take a quick detour down memory lane—back to the early 2010s, when TNT first signed the Big Fella fresh off his playing days. You’d think adding a four-time champ with a Ph.D. in dominant post play would be an instant hit, right? Wrong.

Shaquille O’Neal tried to reinvent himself as the “Black Bryant Gumbel,” using big words and playing it all serious. But TNT wasn’t having it. In Shaq’s own words, “TNT said, ‘mo******er, we’ll fire your a tomorrow—be you.’” Honestly? One of the best career tips ever dished out on live TV. Because when Shaq started being Shaq? Inside the NBA became the most unmissable part of every game night.

Of course, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Early stumbles included calling Ricky Rubio the “Italian Pete Maravich” (he’s Spanish, by the way), mumbling through segments like he had a mouthguard still in, and becoming the punching bag of Saturday Night Live sketches. Kenny Smith even said Shaq was incredible in the green room, but froze on camera. It was like watching Ben Simmons at the free throw line—so much potential, but it’s just not landing.

TNT Let Shaq Cook—And He Brought the Whole Kitchen

Everything changed with one perfect accident in 2015. Shaq tripped on a wire during a live broadcast and hit the deck like someone trying to take a charge from Zion Williamson. The video went viral. TNT’s producers had a lightbulb moment: “Wait a minute… maybe we’re the problem. Let Shaq be Shaq.”

From that moment, the Diesel unleashed a new era of chaos and comedy. Whether he was defending his “fill your tank at half-full to save money” theory (look it up—it’s economically hilarious), comparing flight times to the moon based on cross-country trips, or trying to invent new laws of physics live on air, Inside the NBA became the sports show everyone wanted to watch, even if they didn’t care who won the actual game. (I am kidding of course they did care)

But it wasn’t just Shaq’s antics—it was the chemistry. The brotherhood. The “Who He Play For?” disasters. Barkley’s jabs, Kenny sprinting to the screen like he was still chasing fast breaks, and Ernie trying to hold it all together like a dad carpooling triplets hopped up on sugar. Shaq fit right into that madness and made it even better. And as Barkley once joked, “We were about five episodes away from Shaq setting himself on fire just to make people laugh.” That’s not a joke—it’s a historical possibility.

The NBA’s new 11-year, $76 billion media rights deal means TNT is officially out. ESPN/ABC keeps the Finals. NBC returns with “Basketball Night in America” and streaming on Peacock. Amazon Prime gets its shot with exclusive coverage of NBA Cup games and more. Meanwhile, TNT—home to Inside the NBA since 1989—is being benched, not by performance, but by business.

TNT tried to keep the rights, even matched offers as best they could. But the NBA decided Warner Bros. Discovery’s pitch didn’t quite match what Amazon brought to the table. Now, WBD might sue, the fans are grieving, and the NBA world is bracing for a reality where “Gone Fishin’” might not hit the same. But don’t worry—Inside the NBA isn’t totally dead. ESPN has picked it up like the Miami Heat snagging overlooked veterans. The show will still air from Atlanta, still be hosted by the same four legends, just under a different banner. The engine’s the same—just a new coat of paint.

So, during TNT’s final night on the job, Shaq said goodbye in the only way he knows how—full Diesel.

The same guy TNT once threatened to fire for being too fake just told ESPN he’s coming in swinging—no filter, no hesitation, no apologies. And really, after 37 years, after countless laughs, Shaqtin’ a Fool bloopers, “Guaransheeds,” inside jokes, and even literal slips, did we expect anything less? Shaquille O’Neal has evolved from Hall of Fame center to Hall of Fame entertainer. He’s the reason a whole generation of basketball fans stuck around after games. He brought humor, heart, and unpredictability to a sports media world that can sometimes feel like a layup line—boring, repetitive, and mostly full of missed dunks.

The man went from nearly getting fired for trying too hard… to breaking the network’s last big rule, live, on the final broadcast—just to prove he still runs the set.

So yes, Shaquille O’Neal swore on air. Yes, he violated TNT’s big no-no. But hey, like I started—what are they gonna do? Fire him? Too late. He already left a bigger legacy than most NBA players ever could. And now? He’s bringing that chaos to ESPN. Buckle up, y’all. Shaq isn’t done yet.