Charles Barkley is hosting Saturday Night Live this weekend, and the Inside the NBA crew is going to benefit from that in a very fun way. The crew is picking up from its Atlanta headquarters later this week to broadcast live from the Saturday Night Live studio space in New York City on Thursday night.
TNT announced on Tuesday that Barkley, Shaq, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith will be in New York to do Inside the NBA this Thursday. On Saturday, Barkley will host the show with musical guest Migos.
The event, branded as Inside the NBA Meets SNL, is set for March 1 as Barkley is getting ready to host SNL for a fourth time.
According to a release, the show will also include appearances by SNL cast members.
The NBA on TNT will feature a special Inside the NBA presented by Kia on Thursday, March 1, with the award-winning studio show – Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley – joining the cast of Saturday Night Live for a special appearance from the show’s iconic Studio 8H at Rockefeller Plaza. Later in the week, TNT’s Barkley will serve as host of SNL for the fourth time.
The schedule — Cavs-76ers and Timberwolves-Trail Blazers — has little to do with New York itself, but with Barkley in town rehearsing for his reprisal as SNL host, it certainly makes sense that the show will temporarily move for the week.
It’s a cool opportunity for a fresh look, too. Studio 8H is a legendary space for television, and I’m sure the show will have some special touches that will make it worth watching beyond the basketball. Inside the NBA is so good at making basketball fun and keeping things unexpected, and a team of professional improv comics can definitely help them out there.
