Shaquille O’Neal has proven to be nearly as popular a broadcaster as he was a player, and it’s paying off.
The Hall of Fame center has agreed to a new long-term contract to remain at TNT Sports, and he’ll earn more than $15 million per year, according to Front Office Sports.
The news comes as “Inside The NBA” heads to ESPN due to TNT no longer having the media rights to broadcast the NBA.
But TNT will license the program to ESPN, as well as ABC, starting next season.
There had still been uncertainty about whether the four members of the program — Ernie Johnson and former NBA players Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and O’Neal — would continue to be a part of it.
But Barkley said he would stay with TNT for the rest of his 10-year contract, which has seven years remaining, and Johnson and Smith both are expected to stay.
The O’Neal news comes just a day after he joked that the crew was “getting fired anyway” following an appearance by former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch, who used profanity on the show.
O’Neal, 52, reportedly made nearly $300 million over his 17-year NBA career, as well as plenty more from endorsements extending after his playing days.
He now figures to be among the highest-paid broadcasters in the industry more than a decade after embarking on a career in it.
As for “Inside The NBA,” it will still be produced by TNT going forward, from the same studio in Atlanta.
The exact format of the show is yet to be determined, according to multiple outlets, and the show itself may be on a handful fewer times per season.
Now that it’s affiliated with ESPN, the members of the show could be seen more than ever if the network asks that they make appearances on different programs.
