TNT apologizes for false death report of HBCU legend during Inside the NBA

By Steven Corder

During TNT’s NBA playoff coverage recently, Inside the NBA made a stunning and deeply personal error—declaring HBCU legend Billy Ray Bates dead on live television. The problem? Bates, known as “Black Superman” and a hero to Kentucky State and Portland Trail Blazers fans alike, is very much alive.

A Live TV Slip That Hit Home

The incident unfolded when Shaquille O’Neal referenced Bates in a segment recapping NBA playoff debuts. While praising Bates’ explosive 1980 playoff performance—29 points off the bench for Portland—O’Neal wrongly stated the former Kentucky State star had passed away. The mistake went unchecked during the broadcast, spreading rapidly across social media and sports news aggregators.

TNT’s Public Apology to Bates and His Family

Less than 24 hours later, TNT anchor Ernie Johnson corrected the record on-air. “While it was inadvertent, it was also inaccurate, and insensitive, and inexcusable. In short, we screwed up,” Johnson said before apologizing directly to Bates and his family. This correction was crucial, not just to set the record straight, but to honor the legacy of a living legend who once averaged 28.3 points per game in the 1981 NBA playoffs.

Who Billy Ray Bates Really Is

A native of Kosciusko, Mississippi, Bates starred at Kentucky State from 1974–78, scoring 1,723 points with remarkable efficiency—56% from the field and 77% at the line. He later dazzled in the NBA and became a cultural icon in the Philippines Basketball Association. His story is a proud chapter in HBCU athletic history—one that deserves accuracy and respect.

This moment is a wake-up call for sports media. Do the homework. Respect the legacies—especially of those who came up through HBCUs, whose stories are too often underrepresented or misremembered. Billy Ray Bates is still here, and his legacy is still being written.