Overview
- The premiere aired Oct. 22 ahead of an ESPN doubleheader under the on-air title “NBA Tip-Off.”
- Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith returned with the same music and Studio J setup.
- TNT Sports retained editorial control while producing the show for ESPN/ABC under the new arrangement.
- ESPN plans about 20 regular-season nights, with one-hour pregames on ESPN and 30-minute pregames on ABC, and the show available in the ESPN app for streaming, including marquee dates such as Christmas and the NBA Finals.
- Early segments featured Barkley saying he was nervous to be on ESPN and playful riffs on his weight loss, signaling that the show’s irreverent style remains intact.