“But at [TNT] I don’t need to carry it by myself. Like, Ernie’s the man, Chuck’s there. I was going to be a role player.” Shaquille O’Neal, in the past, has indicated why he began his new career with TNT. The Lakers legend, fresh off retiring, joined the network and has been with them ever since. Before joining them, he had offers from ESPN as well. And apparently he is one of the hires that the ex-president recently expressed missing out on.

Ever since TNT lost the media rights deal, the uncertainty has clouded their beloved analyst’s contract. Charles Barkley went from unretiring, talking to competitors, and finally accepting the terms with Turner Network. Similarly, Shaquille O’Neal’s contract expired after this season. Just a few months ago, he extended his contract with the network and reportedly signed a $15 million a year deal. But according to Skipper, ESPN’s pitch to Shaq would have made him the marquee star, no second‑banana duties.

John Skipper is an American television executive and was the President of ESPN from 2012 to 2017. During that he had the idea to bring in Shaquille O’Neal to the network. “First of all, at the time we were kind of cheap, right, we paid lower scale because we had a lot of people. I tried very hard to get Shaq. When he was available tried to convince him that he’d be his show on ESPN, it wouldn’t be he wouldn’t be the second fiddle to Charles Barkley.” A tempting offer for the 4x NBA champion, yet he did not follow through as the TNT president came into the picture.

“David Levy good friend of mine, went to him and said, ‘You know I’m gonna pay you as much, probably more than John Skipper will, and you won’t have to do anything except show up, start talking, and that’s all you have to do.'” Skipper detailed his conversation with Shaq to Pablo Torre’s The Sporting Class. Despite having his very own show to headline, the Lakers legend had his reasons not to sign with ESPN.

“And by the way, Shaq, who was very funny about it, basically told me I ran into him one time, he’s like ‘I wasn’t going to come over there, you were going to put me up.'” Skipper admitted that if Shaquille O’Neal joined the network, he would have to do multiple appearances on different shows on the network. Ranging from the Sports Center, any post-game or pre-game show. That’s why Shaq declined with a question for then-President to ponder, “Why would I do that?”

How the then-Turner President convinced Shaquille O’Neal with an unusual tactic

We all have heard Charles Barkley’s gripe with ESPN when he claimed the network tends to make employees ‘work like dogs’. A sentiment even Shaq echoed for rejecting Skipper’s offer at the time. But there was more to it. Just like ESPN made offers to add a different show to give more exposure to the Big Aristotle, the TNT network had other ideas with their pitch.

Levy didn’t just pitch a job—he tapped into Shaq’s respect for Ernie Johnson, who’d first interviewed him at 17. “I love Ernie’s voice and how he treats people,” Shaq said on Larry Brown Sports. That personal trust underpinned Shaq’s choice, valuing close‑knit camaraderie over high‑maintenance

“Shaq, there are networks that want you, and networks that need you. We don’t need you.” This statement from Levy led to awkward silence in the room. Normally, top brass would chase the people they want to hire, but Levy had other ideas. “But we want you. That’s why we’re all here. I already have an Emmy Award-winning show, so there’s more risk maybe on my side than on your side.” Levy’s gambit flipped conventional recruiting on its head: instead of groveling, he conveyed confidence and scarcity. Shaq, accustomed to being pursued, was intrigued by a network that didn’t need him yet chose him.

Even Levy wasn’t sure his line would work on Shaq, but to his surprise, the Lakers legend accepted the offer. “I’m just letting you know, I’m coming to TNT. No one’s ever told me my whole life they don’t need me.” In contrast, ESPN’s pitch of “we need you” carried the implicit burden of carrying multiple studio slots—SportsCenter, First Take, and others—diluting his brand.