Watch: Kenny Smith hilariously reacts to his Doc Rivers-inspired haircut
Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson continued their coverage of the 2025 NBA playoffs. Heading into Game 5 of the series between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets on Wednesday, the Inside the NBA hosts noticed something new. Smith had a haircut, which Johnson promptly brought up.
When Johnson asked if his co-host went to the barber, Smith confirmed he did. A tweet by an NBA fan prompted the former Rockets star to react:
“Kenny Smith went to the barber and asked for the “Doc Rivers.”
The co-hosts all had a good laugh when the message on X (formerly Twitter) came up on the screen. Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley laughed louder when an image of Kenny Smith and Doc Rivers appeared side by side.
Smith also agreed that it was the “Doc Rivers” style but eventually changed his mind. He pointed out that the Milwaukee Bucks coach does not have a beard like him. Ernie Johnson eased up on the trolling by saying:
“I’ve been doing the Ginobili for years.”
The Inside the NBA co-hosts often joke about their haircuts and hairlines. Sometimes, they drag players into the discussion. Doc Rivers entered the frame via a fan reaction.
Kenny Smith defines what is a “dawg” for Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille O’Neal thought the LA Lakers should “pack up and get ready for next year.” The Hall of Famer thought that although his former team had Luka Doncic and LeBron James, it lacked “dawgs.”
When Ernie Johnson asked him to define the term, O’Neal answered by naming the players he thought matched the description. The four-time champ included former teammates Rob Horry, Brian Shaw, Rick Fox and Dennis Scott in his list. Kenny Smith defined the word for them:
“The definition of a ‘dawg’ is a player that has intensity in moments when he’s not the best player. There it is. You ain’t scared of the moment just because the offense don’t run through you.”
Shaq said that Smith was a “dawg” during his days, something Charles Barkley had trouble understanding.
The Inside the NBA crew is arguably the most entertaining sports show today. From haircuts to “dawgs,” they rarely disappoint basketball fans.
