Over the previous few days the NBA All-Star Weekend performed out in Oakland, California, with a wave of main stars (together with a smiling Emma Watson) taking within the festivities. What’s notably important about this explicit 12 months is that it marks the final time the annual sport might be broadcast on TNT. Additionally, this can seemingly be the ultimate time that the hosts of Contained in the NBA’s hosts will cowl the occasion. With that, the quartet of anchors have been honored on Sunday, and followers have been subsequently irritated over one explicit element.
It’s conventional that throughout the All-Star sport, there’s a ceremonial hand-off between the present host metropolis and the subsequent. On this case, Oakland handed the reins to Inglewood, California. That was absolutely anticipated amid this 12 months’s event type occasion, however what some doubtless weren’t ready for was the prolonged try and honor the hosts of Inside. Emcee Kevin Hart led the tribute, which noticed Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal introduced onto the courtroom to obtain framed jerseys and extra. Test it out:
Kevin Hart & NBA All-Stars ship the Inside Guys Fishing 🎣Final #NBAAllStar Weekend for the TNT crew ❤️ pic.twitter.com/QQ1T30YVABFebruary 17, 2025
The fishing gear was symbolic of Contained in the NBA’s “Gone Fishin’” phase, which sees the 4 hosts ushering groups into the offseason after they’ve been eradicated from the playoffs. Though the sentiment behind the gesture was candy, many are taking challenge with the execution. One thing that basically appeared to actually rub viewers the unsuitable method was the truth that this practically 7-minute phase (which is on YouTube) occurred in the course of a sport. Take a look at what some X customers needed to say about that portion of the printed:
Don’t get me unsuitable, it was definitely candy of Kevin Hart and co. to take the time to honor the long-running sports activities discuss present, which debuted in 1989. Nonetheless, I fully perceive followers’ gripes, because the tribute did take away from the momentum of the printed because of its placement. As famous above, it positively might’ve been held throughout one other a part of the present, ideally earlier than the sport started.
For a lot of 2024, Contained in the NBA confronted cancellation because of Warner Bros. Discovery (TNT”s guardian firm) shedding the printed rights to the aforementioned skilled basketball league. There was additionally extra disappointment final summer season when Charles Barkley introduced his intention to retire from broadcasting after this present season, no matter whether or not the present returned or not. (Barkley later walked again these plans as a way of saving jobs.)
The scenario has modified immensely since then, although. TNT and ESPN reached a historic deal that may enable Inside to be licensed out to the latter community. As a part of that, the hosts will present protection for the NBA Finals, Christmas day video games, opening week video games and extra. This settlement additionally ensures that the sequence will proceed to air for the subsequent eleven years. It’s for that motive that a minimum of one fan on X thought a send-off ceremony of kinds was pointless.
It’s true that followers will certainly see extra of Shaq (who simply inked a brand new deal), Charles Barkley (who’s aiming to remain) and co. Nonetheless, as awkwardly timed or pointless because the All-Star sport tribute might have been, I can recognize that the producers wished to present the host their flowers.