Few, if any, topics are off limits to TNT’s Inside the NBA panel. 

The gang started off Thursday night by discussing the biggest topic in sports media this week: the altercation between NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Jordan Schultz at an Indianapolis Starbucks.

Rapoport and Schultz produced competing reports on Tom Brady recruiting Matthew Stafford to the Las Vegas Raiders, and when Rapoport took a shot at Schultz on social media, the Bleacher Report reporter decided the best way to respond was confronting the NFL Network scoop artist in person.

“It really isn’t anything too much,” Schultz told Pro Football Talk in a statement. “Ian Rapoport and I had a verbal confrontation.

It lasted a little over a minute. Multiple agents and reporters were nearby. Rapoport was the one who called security shortly after, but it never escalated further.”

The two men are seemingly still at odds, but that didn’t stop Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson and the fellas from having some fun at their expense tonight.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – FEBRUARY 3: NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport speaks on camera during Super Bowl LIX Opening Night at Caesars Superdome on February 3, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

It all started when Barkley said he was in a good mood and Johnson asked why.

“Because I was at Starbucks today,” Barkley said. “It’s dangerous in there, Ernie. There was fists flying everywhere. I don’t normally go to Starbucks, ’cause that’s where rich white folks go.”

When Kenny Smith started questioning Barkley’s assertion that “rich white folks” go to Starbucks, Johnson fired off a zinger of his own.

“Apparently, it’s where a lot of reporters go, too,” he said.

DALLAS, TEXAS – JUNE 14: Charles Barkley talks with media prior to Game Four of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics at American Airlines Center on June 14, 2024 in Dallas, Texas.

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Johnson then began going into the background of the incident, which led to Barkley and Shaq taking sides in a hypothetical fight between the two.

Shaq took Schultz, who he said he’s known for a while, while Barkley threw his support behind Rapoport. A date for the “bout” was even provided: May 19.

“We’ll let them go first as a warm-up,” Barkley said to Shaq. “Then me and you can go.”

To be fair to Rapoport and Schultz, both took this good-natured ribbing in stride, responding to Inside the NBA on X/Twitter.

“Charles always has my back. Appreciate you, my guy,” Rapoport tweeted.

“If only Charles knew who called security, he would’ve had this same reaction along with my guy Shaq,” Schultz wrote.

Gotta love media beefs.