Shaquille O’Neal signs entertainment, sports deal with WarnerMedia
The four-time NBA Champion will continue to appear on Inside the NBA and develop a show titled The Business of Basketball.
Shaquille O’Neal has reached a multi-year extension with Turner Sports that will see him expand his role as a studio analyst for NBA games.
The four-time NBA Champion will continue to appear on Inside the NBA, along with the NBA on TNT Tuesday Night franchise. O’Neal will also contribute to NBA.com, and he is developing a show titled The Business of Basketball for NBA TV, per Variety.
“Turner Sports is family to me – and I’m looking forward to working alongside my talented colleagues as we create many more Shaq-tastic moments in the years to come,” said O’Neal in a statement.
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The 15-time NBA All-Star, who has been with Turner Sports since 2011, will executive-produce projects for the company’s Bleacher Report; participate in CNN’s New Year’s Eve coverage as a DJ, and his podcast will be distributed via WarnerMedia; the report states. There’s also the possible appearance in TNT’s coverage of All Elite Wrestling.
“Shaq is so critical to our success, and such a huge part of the heart and soul of our coverage,” said Jeff Zucker, Chairman, WarnerMedia News and Sports, in a statement. “We are lucky to be able to have him as part of our family every single day, and I am personally so thrilled to see that continue for a long time to come.”
“Shaquille’s tenacity as a player and loyal teammate made him one of the best to ever do it on the court, and those skills have translated to his contributions as a broadcaster,” said Tara August, Senior Vice President of Talent Services & Special Projects, Turner Sports. “His fun, infectious personality is engaging, entertaining and beloved by fans. We’re thrilled to extend and deepen our relationship with him for many years to come.”
“I definitely want to get a cartoon going,” O’Neal told The Associated Press. “Turner has a lot of entities under their umbrella. Who knows? I might have to put ”Kazaam” under the Turner Movie Classics library.”
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