Kenny Smith in shock Inside the NBA absence with ex-ESPN star his replacement as Charles Barkley says ‘he’s got fired’
Inside Kenny “The Jet” Smith was remarkably absent from Tuesday’s program episode, which featured a former ESPN star.
While NBA icon Jalen Rose was on TNT’s Inside the NBA, Charles Barkley made fun of Smith’s absence.
Rose was introduced to TV viewers by host Ernie Johnson, who said he was covering for Smith.
Rose was fired from ESPN in 2023 after more than a decade of employment.
Not unexpectedly, Barkley made a joke about it.
“Kenny lost his job. “Hopefully, he got fired,” the Hall of Famer stated.
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Smith was taking a day off from the program, Rose assured the audience.
“The week of Thanksgiving, Kenny off, I don’t know – you guys tie the loose ends together,” Johnson said, adding gasoline to the fire.
TNT hasn’t fired Smith because Rose was a guest on Inside the NBA.
Rose frequently appeared on First Take, NBACountdown, and other ESPN programs.
He has returned to broadcasting after being let go by ESPN.
The Michigan Wolverine legend appeared on NBC’s Big Ten College Countdown on Peacock earlier this month.
That action suggested that Rose might have a chance to rejoin NBA coverage when NBC starts airing the league the following year.
If one of the major cast members, like Smith on Tuesday, is not present, the 51-year-old will probably be a frequent guest on TNT’s Inside the NBA.
Additionally, Rose will return to TNT’s Atlanta studios for a different coverage of the NBA Cup group play final day.
Date and analytics will be the main topics of the NBA on TNT DataCast program.
Rose will be attending a doubleheader of games with basketball writer Kirk Goldsbery, host Adam Lefkoe, and commentator Channing Frye.
This season, Inside the NBA will air on TNT before switching to ESPN for the 2025–2026 NBA season.
Throughout the deal, TNT will keep producing Inside the NBA on its own from its studios in Atlanta.
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Barkley, Smith, Shaquille O’Neal, and Johnson are all featured in the 21-time Emmy Award-winning program.
Since 2011, the four have collaborated on Inside the NBA.
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