Photo: Keith Allison / CC BY-SA 2.0 (2012; cropped)
Ernie Johnson will leave the host’s chair on “Inside the NBA” after the 2026-27 season, ending a run that began in 1990. He said the decision was his and that he is not retiring from television.
“This will be my last season,” Johnson said in a video announcement Wednesday, according to the NBA’s account of his announcement. “Totally my decision. It’s just time.”
Johnson said the preparation he has long enjoyed had become more challenging. He also cited health issues and a desire to spend more time with his family, the NBA said.
Broadcasting work will continue
The departure is from the NBA studio show, not from broadcasting altogether. Johnson will continue appearing on NCAA March Madness coverage and other TNT and CBS projects, according to the NBA’s report.
He is also starting a production company called “32 Bowties,” focused on feel-good sports stories. The NBA’s announcement did not name a successor to the host’s chair.
Johnson’s announcement thanked fellow panelists Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal, along with the production crews behind the program.
A host since 1990
A six-time Emmy Award winner, Johnson worked in local television news in Georgia before joining TBS in 1989. He became the full-time host of “Inside the NBA” the following year, and his Turner Sports work also extended to baseball and college basketball.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement that the league was grateful for Johnson’s impact and looked forward to celebrating him during his final season.
Johnson said he would be back on television Wednesday night. His final season hosting “Inside the NBA” is the 2026-27 season.
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