Shaquille O'Neal explained his decision to join Turner over ESPN in a recent podcast interview. He said that he chose Turner because he would have the support of a star cast of broadcasting veterans, including Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith. If he had joined ESPN, he would have been expected to run a show independently, which was beyond his capacity then. O'Neal also said that he has a "different type of love" for Ernie Johnson, who had interviewed him when he was 17 years old.

O'Neal's decision has worked out well for him. He has become one of the most popular and well-respected NBA analysts on television. His chemistry with his fellow analysts has made the "Inside the NBA" show one of the most popular and watched NBA postgame broadcast shows on TV networks.