The Inside the NBA crew were joined by Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson on Monday after he was named NBA Coach of the Year, and things quickly got out of hand
The NBA on TNT set was buzzing with excitement as Kenny Atkinson joined the Monday pregame show to celebrate his NBA Coach of the Year award, just moments after winning the title.
An elated Atkinson was met with confetti by his family while chatting with the ‘Inside the NBA‘ team prior to an electrifying postseason double-header where the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets snapped up home court advantage against the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder, initiating their Eastern Conference Semifinals runs.
However, it was Ernie Johnson’s mention of Atkinson’s college days at Richmond that really heated things up. With classic highlights playing, Kenny Smith couldn’t resist a jab at the outspoken Charles Barkley‘s Auburn tenure, much to the amusement of everyone on set.
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Barkley only saw one NCAA Tournament during his three years with the Tigers, and that endeavor was cut short by none other than Richmond in 1984. During the interview with Atkinson, Smith ribbed Chuck by asking the Cavs head coach, “Were you on that team that beat Chuck?”
He wasn’t – the Cavaliers head coach wouldn’t join until 1986 at Richmond. But that didn’t stop Smith from jabbing Barkley post-interview, who confessed ignorance about Atkinson’s Spiders past.
“Did you ever win a game in the NCAA [Tournament]?” teased two-time NBA champion and Tar Heel, Smith, to Chuck. Barkley countered by questioning Smith’s Final Four achievements — or lack thereof — at UNC. Both queries were left unanswered, as neither wanted to admit defeat.
“You’re like the only North Carolina guy who never got to the Final Four,” Barkley jabbed. What followed was a boom of banter between the TNT analysts, with Smith recalling his 1987 National Player of the Year honor from Basketball Times.
Then Barkley fired a zinger: “Wait, did you play with Michael Jordan?” With that, the North Carolina alum — who did share the court with MJ for a season — opted to quash the quarrel. “Leave it alone,” he declared. “You ain’t win a game in the tournament.”
Smith’s stint at UNC was marked with misfortune; despite joining just after a championship win and playing alongside Jordan, the team fell short of expectations, peaking at the NCAA Tournament regional semifinals despite top preseason rankings.
Smith propelled North Carolina to two Elite Eight showings, falling short due to defeats by Villanova in 1985, who went on to win the national title, and against Syracuse in 1987, that year’s runner-ups. Meanwhile, Atkinson lavished praise on the Cavaliers’ executives and his star-studded squad during his TNT interview, particularly spotlighting Evan Mobley, the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year, and his growth as pivotal to surpassing season anticipations.
“The easy answer is Evan Mobley, empowering him and really not just myself, but our leaders Donovan [Mitchell] and Darius [Garland] and Jared Allen empowering Evan,” he remarked. “They knew he was the key, right? They knew he was the key to us making the next step. And I think I think after, it’s our bench, right?”
“Celebrating our depth. We have so many good players. I mean, [president of basketball operations] Koby Altman put this roster together, our front office, so much talent talent. I was gifted really into a great situation, but that was really the key – Evans’ development, and then the trust in our bench and our depth.”
The Cavaliers now contend with a formidable challenge in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Indiana Pacers, having suffered a home setback in Game 1 on Sunday while Garland was sidelined with a toe injury. Mobley and De’Andre Hunter are also grappling with health concerns as the series leads up to Game 2 on Tuesday night.
