Draymond Green, now part of Inside the NBA’s first ESPN season during the playoffs, has floated Kevin Durant as a future panel option—potentially one day replacing Shaquille O’Neal—based on how he and Durant see the game.
Draymond Green didn’t just join Inside the NBA during the playoffs—he made the show feel like it had been recast, even if the familiar faces are still there.
The 14-year Golden State Warriors veteran has been added to the Inside the NBA crew during its first year on ESPN. after the program’s long run as a staple on TNT. Green’s impact has been notable. and his presence is one of the reasons the panel has taken on a somewhat unusual feel. It isn’t that host Ernie Johnson. Shaquille O’Neal. Kenny Smith. and Charles Barkley don’t like Green or appreciate him. It’s that the audience is used to something else—something closer to the version of the panel built over years.
Green has been talking about how that version might change. On his podcast, he discussed the future makeup of the panel, suggesting Kevin Durant would likely have a spot on the show and could eventually take O’Neal’s place. He framed it around a shared way of seeing basketball tied to size and role.
Green said both Durant and O’Neal see the game differently than most observers because of their size. O’Neal, a 7-1 figure who used to overpower many opponents, represents the direct approach in Green’s view. Green also pointed to what he sees as Durant’s unusual perspective—because of his remarkable shooting ability for a tall player.
There was a detail in Green’s description that also stands out: Green called Durant a 7-footer. even though Durant is listed as 6-11. That contrast only deepens the bigger idea Green is pushing—how the panel’s next era could be built around the kind of on-court experience that comes with unique dimensions. not just star power.
Even with Green floating Durant as a future replacement option, the reality for Inside the NBA isn’t settled. Green hasn’t retired from the Warriors yet, and he may continue to compete in the NBA in 2026-27. Still. if the regulars ever hang up their microphones. Green is the one who can already imagine the seat—because he’s the one already leaning into the show.
It’s hard to miss the turning point at the center of it all: Inside the NBA is adapting in real time, and Green is acting like the future of the panel should move with the way today’s stars actually understand the game.
Draymond Green Inside the NBA ESPN Kevin Durant Shaquille O'Neal Ernie Johnson Kenny Smith Charles Barkley Golden State Warriors playoffs 2026
KD on Inside the NBA sounds like it could actually be pretty boring ngl.
I don’t get why they keep switching the panel. Shaq and Barkley got the chemistry already. If Draymond is saying KD would take over, cool but KD can’t even commit to the teams half the time so…
Bro they said Durant is a 7-footer?? I swear he’s like 6-11 for real. So if they already can’t get that right, what else is wrong. Also Inside the NBA is basically TNT in my head, not ESPN. Feels fake.
Draymond eyes KD takeover??? Like why KD, he’s always quiet. Ernie will retire first or? I mean Shaq is Shaq, he’s not just getting replaced because someone talked about it on a podcast. But I guess if they’re on ESPN now anything can happen.