Watch: “Why would I watch the Pacers?”- Charles Barkley in hilarious form as he gets every question wrong in ‘Who he play for?’
Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson were back for the new season with TNT's "Inside the NBA" on Tuesday. Barkley, in particular, was at his best yet again.
Barkley attempted the "Who He Play For?" game and it left the audience and the crew in splits. It is a segment that asks the panelists to guess where relatively unknown players in the league are playing.
In the first edition of the season, Barkley was quizzed about Aaron Holiday, Justin Holiday, James Johnson, Delon Wright and Garrett Temple. Predictably, the Hall of Famer went 0 for 5. Barkley is famous for being bad at this game and the show has milked it enormously through the years.
Most of the answers in the segments are players who aren't popular among the crew either. Some of them even play for teams that are going through a rebuild. Justin Holiday plays for one such team, the Indiana Pacers.
The Pacers finally embraced a full-blown rebuild after they traded away their All-Star center Domantas Sabonis last season.
Charles Barkley took a shot at the rebuilding team by saying:
"Why would I watch the Pacers? Come on, man!"
Charles Barkley and rest of "Inside the NBA" crew sign new long-term deals
Rumors were rife that Charles Barkley might retire from television after his current deal was set to expire in 2023. However, to everyone's surprise, Barkley along with his fellow panelists signed new deals that could keep them on the show for another decade.
Barkley is rumored to have signed a deal that could reach almost $200 million over the next 10 years. Barkley is arguably one of the funniest analysts on TV and he never minces his words. This has made him a fan favorite.
Ernie Johnson has been hosting the show since 1990. Johnson has been responsible for moderating the show in a brilliant manner throughout the years. Johnson was then joined by Kenny Smith, a two-time NBA champion, in 1998. The duo showed instant chemistry and it translated well to television screens.
The duo were later joined by Charles Barkley in 2000, one of the most entertaining and controversial players of the 1990s . "Chuck," as he is fondly called, has become one of the best in the business. The Hall of Famer has also won four Sports Emmy Awards during his stint with TNT.
Shaquille O'Neal is one of the biggest names in the history of the game. O'Neal's introduction to the crew in 2011 just gave it a different aura. O'Neal is one of the funniest personalities on television and his chemistry with the other panelists was incredible from the get go.
The release that announced the contract extension was widely celebrated by fans of the show across social media.
THE FELLAS ARE BACK!
The #InsidetheNBA crew will stay together for many years to come after signing long-term contract extensions with WBD sports. https://t.co/X3l5oBuitc
The crew kicked off the new season with a doubleheader. The Boston Celtics picked up a 126-117 home win against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Golden State Warriors then hosted their ring ceremony, raised yet another championship banner and then routed the LA Lakers 123-109.