A good section of the basketball community is already resigned to an NBA season without Shaqtin a Fool, Race to the Board, cursed Chuck Guarantees, unfiltered rambling and unscripted comedy. With Inside the NBA licensed to ESPN, the token offering to fans is the season opener and Christmas Day games. Now, even that’s going to be curbed. Charles Barkley is once again the only honest guy leveling fans’ expectations. And if anyone thought Inside the NBA would not get ESPN-ed, Chuck is helping us adjust to what’s coming.

Rowan University hosted Sir Charles last month to talk about his entire career, from playing basketball to talking about it. Because he’s the only guy who won’t sugarcoat it, the students had to ask what Inside the NBA will look like on ESPN.

“Well, it’s going to be different for sure for a couple of reasons,” is the blunt answer. He further revealed that he and his colleagues are in the same boat as fans. “This is one of the things that we’re concerned with. So, when we’re going to be on ABC, the best part of our show is after the game. We have 45 minutes to an hour just to make sure people having a good time. That’s going to be gone pretty much, because when we’re on ABC, we’re going to go to the local affiliate quickly, and then when we’re on ESPN, they’re going to want to go to *SportsCenter*. So, the best part of our show is probably going to be gone. So, it’s going to change 100%.”

The best part of the show is usually Chuck rambling so much that Ernie Johnson has to cut to a commercial to end it. Kenny Smith, now ‘The Jet’ with his words, manages to get a word in, but Shaquille O’Neal usually doesn’t, which has created a few funny moments like Shaq having to run to the bathroom sooner than Chuck stops talking (and this is only the recent one). TNT’s format permitted that for its flagship show.

ESPN’s format is not only limited, but its content under Disney/ABC is also not as unfiltered as that of Warner Bros. When it was announced that the show was licensed to ESPN, fans weren’t happy. They’d rather not have the show than have the essence that won Inside the NBA multiple sports Emmys taken away.

Fans’ biggest fears were realized when the schedule was announced, featuring only two primetime broadcasts for Inside the NBA. But Barkley had small consolation for fans.

Charles Barkley hints at a bit of hope to protect Inside the NBA

While Charles Barkley has been concerned about the changes to the show for months, Shaquille O’Neal had a different stance. On the last day of Inside the NBA on TNT, he went on a funny expletive-laden rant, threatening ESPN that they won’t change.

“I don’t have any concerns because I know one guy that you’re never going to change, and I know another guy that’s really close to him. The other two guys — listen, Ernie is a consummate professional, and he can adapt to any situation. Ernie is the guy that really keeps us out of trouble, and Kenny is professional, but Chuck is right there on the line, and I’m right below Chuck. Chuck’s not changing, I’m not changing,” was Shaq’s tamer but assuring tirade about going to ESPN recently.

Shaq and Chuck confirmed a sideshow in development at TNT to alleviate fans’ anxiety. Only that Barkley thinks it’s witty, and O’Neal is hyping it up.

Logistically, no one knows how that’s happening. That’s why Chuck revealed that they’re actually going to discuss it. “And I’m looking forward to the meeting tomorrow because I just want to know, okay, are y’all going to give us any time?” Chuck said this during the talk at Rowan University.

As of this writing, the meeting has already happened, and no details have been revealed. All Chuck had said was that ESPN representatives are meeting Shaq, Chuck, Ernie, and Kenny in Atlanta to iron out the details. It also hints at the speculated crossovers with the TNT guys joining Stephen A. Smith & Co. on First Take or other shows.

The only upside that Chuck sees in this is that the crew he’s been working with for two decades keeps their jobs. But he insists that things will look a lot different i