After 37 years hosting Inside the NBA, Ernie Johnson has announced that the 2026-27 season will be his last. The 70-year-old made it clear he isn’t retiring from broadcasting, only leaving the show that made him a household name. Erin Andrews was among the colleagues who sent messages of support afterward.
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“I’ve been hosting ‘Inside the NBA’ for a long time,” Johnson said in a video on Instagram. “This is my 37th year, and I’ve long described it as a get-to job. Still amazed that I get to do this for a living. Now, as the years have gone by and I turned 70 this past summer, folks have asked me, ‘So, how long are you going to keep doing Inside?’ Well, I want to take a couple of minutes of your time to answer that. This will be my last season. Totally my decision. It’s just time.”
Johnson has recently started a production company called 32 Bow Ties, and he expects to stay busy with March Madness coverage and other projects for TNT and CBS.
He was open about his health too. On air Wednesday, Johnson shared that he dealt with heart issues and had bypass surgery 14 months ago. After all these years of relentlessly working, he now wants to focus on his life ahead.
“This isn’t a case where my doctor said, ‘You need to stop working.’ It’s nothing like that,” Johnson said. “But here’s the deal. Going through that has made me treasure even more every second with my amazing wife of 44 years, Cheryl, and being Poppy to our five grandchildren. So, I just want to slow down a bit, spend more time I’m enjoying that.”
Johnson has been with Turner Sports since 1989 and took over hosting duties on Inside the NBA a year later. Alongside Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal, the show has collected more than 20 Sports Emmy Awards.
The rest of the panel all shared their emotional tributes for the veteran. Barkley had tears in his eyes as he looked back at their time together, calling Johnson a “leader.” Smith stood up briefly to give him a standing ovation, and remembered the days when it was just the two of them on the show; Barkley and O’Neal became part of it later on.
“You are the controller of this thing people call the circus,” O’Neal said. “It’s the best circus in town. But without you, it’s going to be very, very difficult.”
Reactions flooded the comments section of Ernie Johnson’s announcement, with people from sports and entertainment sharing their thanks.
Fox Sports broadcaster Erin Andrews didn’t use words. She commented with five red heart emojis: “❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️”.
Media personality Kayla Nicole was also short and emotional, writing “Ernie 🥹”.
Former Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah focused on Johnson’s impact on basketball, writing, “What a contribution to the game. Thank you, Ernie!!!!”
Comedian and actor Bill Bellamy also chimed in.
“I have enjoyed the show forever !!! You are the man, Ernie !!!! 🙌🙌” Bellamy commented.
“The best to ever do it,” ESPN’s Kay Adams wrote. “THANK YOU, ERNIE!”
A basketball fan page summed up what many seemed to feel.
“Inside the NBA will never be the same without Ernie ❤️,” the page wrote.
The outpouring shows how much Ernie Johnson means to those who have watched and worked with him over 37 years.