After nearly a year of worry over how Inside the NBA would look and sound on ESPN, Charles Barkley endured the debut long enough to realize everything is going to be okay. Barkley joined The Dan Patrick Show on Friday morning to discuss the beginning of the basketball season,

The NBA Tip-Off 2025 had nearly 37 million viewers in the United States tuning in across NBC/Peacock, ESPN and Amazon Prime. This marks a staggering 100% increase year-to-year and the most viewers for an opening week in 15 years.

The NBA’s return to NBC is part of an 11-year, $76 billion rights package spread across ESPN/ABC, NBC/Peacock and Amazon’s Prime Video. NBC will air primetime games on Tuesdays throughout the season, and Sundays after its NFL commitments end, and Peacock will have streaming-exclusive games on Monday nights.

Tyrese Maxey scored 43 points and rookie VJ Edgecombe added 26 as the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Orlando Magic 136-124. The Sixers are now 3-0.