Charles Barkley’s ‘Inside the NBA’ Gaffe Has Fans in Stitches
WHO:
Fox News - Ernie Johnson has hosted “Inside the NBA” for more than three decades; Kenny Smith joined in 1998, Charles Barkley in 2000, and Shaquille O’Neal became a permanent fixture in 2011.
Newsweek - Charles Barkley is a TNT Sports analyst and a participant in the “Inside the NBA” segment.
Pro Football Network - Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal (“Shaq”), Kenny, Ernie, and the “Inside the NBA” crew were involved in the segment.
Pro Football Network - The “hoops world” reacted to Barkley’s segment.
WHAT:
Fox News - The article reported that the NBA season was two days old when Barkley made his comment during the first hour of the Wednesday “NBA Tip-Off” pregame show.
Fox News - Charles Barkley joked that Shaquille O’Neal’s connection to FBI Director Kash Patel was “dangerous,” then added, “I got your back, big fella” and “We can hang out with who the hell we want to.”
Fox News - Patel named O’Neal an honorary FBI special agent after O’Neal graduated from a training session. Patel described the session as “historic” in a post on X.
Fox News - O’Neal joked at the graduation ceremony that Barkley could be his first arrest, saying, “And if you see Charles Barkley, arrest him.”
Newsweek - The article reports that social media users mocked Barkley over a blunder on “Inside the NBA.”
Newsweek - The article described Barkley’s memory as “the memory of a blacked-out goldfish after a three-day binger.”
Pro Football Network - Barkley’s “Inside the NBA” segment made Shaq, Kenny, Ernie, and the crew laugh.
Pro Football Network - Reactions included “Legit Crying Laughing” and “This Was Amazing.”
WHERE:
Fox News - The “NBA Tip-Off” pregame show originates from a television studio in Atlanta.
Newsweek - The reported blunder occurred on “Inside the NBA,” a TNT Sports program.
Pro Football Network - The segment was on “Inside the NBA.”
WHEN:
Fox News - O’Neal’s honorary-agent designation was announced in a post dated September 17.
WHY:
Newsweek - The social-media reactions were prompted by Barkley’s on-air blunder.
Pro Football Network - The reported laughter and audience reactions followed Barkley’s segment.
HOW:
Fox News - Ernie Johnson responded to Barkley’s remark, “Oh!! Oh! Oh, I didn’t know you were gonna be going there,” and added, “But I should have known you would.”
Fox News - Barkley raised O’Neal’s connection to Patel during the pregame show by asking Kenny Smith, “Should we be standing this close to Shaq?”
Newsweek - Social media users roasted Barkley over the blunder.
Pro Football Network - Barkley’s segment prompted laughter among the studio crew and reactions from the broader basketball community.
(UPDATED October 24, 2026 03:04 UTC)
Charles Barkley joked on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” that Shaquille O’Neal’s connection to FBI Director Kash Patel was “dangerous,” prompting laughter from his longtime co-hosts. O’Neal had been named an honorary FBI special agent after completing a training session, which Patel called “historic.” At the ceremony, O’Neal joked that Barkley could be his first arrest. Barkley later raised the connection on the “NBA Tip-Off” pregame show, asking Kenny Smith, “Should we be standing this close to Shaq?” He reassured O’Neal, saying, “I got your back, big fella,” and that they could spend time with whoever they wanted. Ernie Johnson reacted with surprise, then said he should have expected it. Barkley’s segment made the studio crew laugh, while social media users teased him over an on-air blunder and basketball fans shared amused reactions.
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(UPDATED October 23, 2026 23:15 UTC)
Charles Barkley joked on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” that Shaquille O’Neal’s connection to FBI Director Kash Patel was “dangerous,” then told Shaq, “I got your back, big fella.” Patel named O’Neal an honorary FBI special agent after he completed a training session, which Patel described as “historic.” At the graduation, O’Neal joked that Barkley could be his first arrest, saying, “And if you see Charles Barkley, arrest him.” During an “NBA Tip-Off” broadcast from Atlanta, Barkley brought up the connection by asking Kenny Smith, “Should we be standing this close to Shaq?” The exchange followed a separate on-air blunder by Barkley that had the “Inside the NBA” crew laughing. Social media users mocked his apparent memory lapse, while other viewers and basketball fans praised the segment, posting reactions like “Legit Crying Laughing” and “This Was Amazing.”
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(UPDATED October 23, 2026 21:17 UTC)
Charles Barkley drew laughter from his “Inside the NBA” colleagues and mockery on social media after an on-air blunder on the TNT Sports program. The segment involved Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson, and the rest of the crew. Barkley’s mistake prompted the studio panel to laugh, while viewers and basketball fans reacted online. Some responses celebrated the moment, including comments reading, “Legit Crying Laughing” and “This Was Amazing.” Other social media users roasted Barkley over the blunder. One description compared his memory to “the memory of a blacked-out goldfish after a three-day binger.” The moment also drew a reaction from the broader basketball community, with the “hoops world” joining in on the response to Barkley’s segment.