Tim Kiely, longtime producer of TNT’s hit “Inside the NBA,” has “Gone Fishin’” after more than 27 years producing the show.
After the Miami Heat’s Game 7 win over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals Monday, Kiely joined the “Inside the NBA” crew for the show’s “Gone Fishin’” segment to celebrate his retirement.
Since 1995, Kiely − also known simply as “TK” − has produced the iconic sports show on TNT alongside Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal.
“I can’t even put it into words. We’ve been together for a long, long time,” host Ernie Johnson said. “You’re the best of all time. Nobody in the business has ever done it better.”
Smith and O’Neal shared a similar sentiment.
“You’ve been the architect of this, honestly,” Smith said. “You’ve changed not only what television does, you’ve changed my family, my life and what we’ve done.”
“People always stop me and say, ‘you guys have the best show,’” O’Neal said. “And every time they say that I think of guys like you.”
As for Barkley, he has one question, “who am I going to go drinking with now?”
Last ‘Inside the NBA’ show of season as Finals switches to ABC
Monday marked the last “Inside the NBA” show of the season as ABC will air the NBA Finals matchup between the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat starting Thursday, June 1.
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Game 1: Nuggets vs. Heat | Thursday, June 1 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
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Game 2: Nuggets vs. Heat | Sunday, June 4 | 8 p.m. ET (ABC)
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Game 3: Heat vs. Nuggets | Wednesday, June 7 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
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Game 4: Heat vs. Nuggets | Friday, June 9 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
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Game 5: Nuggets vs. Heat | Monday, June 12 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC) *
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Game 6: Heat vs. Nuggets | Thursday, June 15 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC) *
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Game 7: Nuggets vs. Heat | Sunday, June 18 | 8 p.m. ET (ABC) *
*If necessary
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘Inside the NBA’ TNT producer Tim ‘TK’ Kiely retires after 27 years