For years, ESPN’s NBA Countdown tried to compete with Inside the NBA and never got close, even with names like Magic Johnson, Bill Simmons, Maria Taylor and Rachel Nichols, as Front Office Sports pointed out. Now ESPN airs the show it couldn’t beat, and it reportedly wants to keep it going after Ernie Johnson leaves.
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One surprising name has come up as a possible new host: Scott Van Pelt.
Sources told FOS that ESPN plans to keep Inside the NBA running even if Johnson, Charles Barkley or both leave after this season. One source said Van Pelt, who hosts ESPN’s midnight SportsCenter, could be a longshot option.
That source thinks Van Pelt is funny enough and serious enough to handle Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith. But they also asked the obvious question.
“SVP could do a great job. But would he want it?” the source told FOS. “Any host of that show has to realize up front that they are not the star. It’s Charles, Shaq and Kenny.”
There is one man who knows the role better than anyone and that is Ernie Johnson, and he wants someone to take over. He announced on October 28 that this will be his last season, but he doesn’t want his exit to end the show.
“I don’t want to be blamed for ending Inside the NBA,” Johnson told Matt Iseman on FOS Tonight. “I’m stepping away from my role on there. I would hope that they could continue the show in some form. And there are plenty of great studio hosts out there who could do what I do.”
Johnson was less certain about Barkley’s plans. “As for what Chuck is going to do, I have learned many many moons ago, you never try to predict what the Chuckster is going to do,” he said. “But he and I have had a lot of conversations in the past about what we’re going to do, so I will leave that final word to him.”
Barkley said on The Bill Simmons Podcast in September that “me and Ernie are a package deal,” and that next year would be his last unless Johnson changed his mind.
This is the show’s second season on ESPN. When TNT lost its NBA rights, it licensed Inside the NBA and NBA Tip-Off to ESPN in exchange for a package of Big 12 football and basketball games. TNT still produces the show from its studios in Atlanta.
According to FOS, ESPN wants to keep Inside the NBA as its top NBA studio show even with a new host and new faces, with NBA Countdown as the backup.
That means the question is no longer whether the show survives, but who fronts it, which leads to the case for and against Van Pelt.
Why Scott Van Pelt Is a Longshot to Replace Ernie Johnson On Inside the NBA
The argument for Van Pelt rests on his resume. Awful Announcing’s Matt Yoder wrote that he has the popularity with fans, the respect of his peers and the hosting ability to take over, noting his comedy through the “Bad Beats” segments and his interviews.
Van Pelt has said he would like to collaborate with Inside the NBA since ESPN struck the licensing deal to bring it to its airwaves. Larry Brown Sports described him as one of the few people who might be able to take over the role fairly seamlessly.
He’s also thought about it before. In a December 2024 podcast interview with John Ourand, shortly after ESPN’s deal for the show was announced, Van Pelt said he had thought about how he might fit in, though he made clear he wasn’t lobbying for a role. He also admitted it would be tricky since Johnson and Barkley are close friends and he doesn’t know the cast well.
There are hurdles, though. Van Pelt is not based in Atlanta, where Inside the NBA is filmed, and the job would add to an already heavy workload. The choice may ultimately come down to whether Van Pelt is interested.
Neither ESPN nor Van Pelt has publicly commented on the report.
Van Pelt isn’t the favorite. FOS called TNT’s Adam Lefkoe and Malika Andrews, the host of NBA Countdown, the most obvious choices. OutKick’s Bobby Burack also named them as leading candidates. He wrote that “no one seemed to know for certain yet,” but everyone he asked brought up Andrews. Dan Patrick has publicly backed Lefkoe and called him a natural transition from Ernie.
Johnson wants the show to continue, and ESPN says it will. Barkley’s future remains open, and ESPN may have to replace another big name next season if he leaves too. That makes the host decision bigger than a single seat.
A star like Van Pelt could keep the show steady and perhaps keep Barkley on board, but he is a long shot for scheduling reasons alone. ESPN’s commitment is clear, while its choice of who sits at the desk is still open.