ESPN executive Burke Magnus confirmed that “Inside the NBA” will remain a staple for fans this season, covering pregame, halftime, and postgame shows.

While the crew will debut on ESPN for opening night, they’ll then pause until Christmas Day before gradually increasing appearances in the second half of the season and working every night during the playoffs.

“That is our goal,” Magnus said when asked whether ESPN intends to use the show as extensively as TNT did.

“It will be as close to that as we can possibly get. I understand that standard operating procedure for us for many years has been to get to SportsCenter. There’s going to be 200 or 300 nights or so that we’re still going to do that.”

When “Inside the NBA” isn’t on the air, ESPN will continue to feature its “NBA Countdown” team, with Malika Andrews, Bob Myers, Kendrick Perkins, and Michael Wilbon among the key analysts.

Still, Magnus stressed that the show fans know and love will remain nearly identical in its new home.

“It’s still produced in Atlanta by the very same people that produced it for Turner. It’s in their building. Other than a logo on the set, it’s going to appear the same, and that’s exactly what we want,” he explained.

The show’s legacy runs deep, having aired on TNT for 35 years with Ernie Johnson as the constant presence.

Kenny Smith joined in 1998, Charles Barkley in 2000, and Shaquille O’Neal in 2011, making the panel one of the most recognizable in sports media.

ESPN struck a deal to license the program after Turner was unable to retain NBA media rights.

“When these guys are going, we’re going to let them go,” Magnus emphasized, noting ESPN’s broader programming commitments but reiterating their commitment to authenticity.

“We want the same outcome as the headline here. The equivalent would be if we acquired College GameDay and then said, ‘You know what? We think two hours is better than three.’ None of that is going to happen.”

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