Ernie Johnson to End 37-Year 'Inside the NBA' Run

Ernie Johnson announced on Wednesday that the 2026-27 NBA season will be his final year hosting "Inside the NBA." The decision ends a 37-year run for a program that has defined postgame analysis since its 1989 debut. Johnson, 70, shared the news in a nearly three-minute video posted to social media.

The host stated that the choice is entirely his own. "This will be my last season," Johnson said. "Totally my decision. It's just time. It's been an honor to share so many nights, decades actually, with my brothers." The show features Johnson alongside Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kenny Smith.

Johnson clarified that he is not retiring from broadcasting. He will continue to work on March Madness coverage for TNT and CBS Sports. He also launched a new production company called 32 Bowties, which focuses on feel-good sports stories. "Just to be clear, I'm not retiring," he said. "Just cutting back."

The announcement complicates the future of Charles Barkley. The analyst stated last month on "The Bill Simmons Podcast" that the current season would be his last unless Johnson stayed. Barkley described the two as a package deal. "So right now, unless Ernie changes his mind, next year is my last year, 100 percent," Barkley said. "If he says he's done, I'm gone."

Barkley recalled a recent conversation where Johnson asked him to stay for two more years. Barkley agreed and told his colleague, "I love you, man. You're the best." With Johnson's departure now confirmed, the studio dynamic that has defined NBA television for nearly four decades faces an immediate shift.