By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: Nathaniel S. Butler/National Basketball Association via Getty Images
Longtime sports host and broadcaster Ernie Johnson announced on Wednesday that he will step away from the show after the 2026-27 NBA season.
Johnson, 70, has dealt with heart issues and underwent bypass surgery 14 months ago. Johnson also wants to slow down and spend more time with his wife and five grandchildren. He cherishes his family. Family is everything to him.
Johnson once again announced to the world before the show started on NBA on ESPN.
“I’ve been hosting ‘Inside the NBA’ for a long time,” Johnson said in the video. “This is my 37th year, and I’ve long described it as a get-to job. I’m still amazed 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 started a new production company. Retirement is not in his mind. He wants to do other things. He wants a balanced life from now on. It’s not all about sports. Spending time with family is important, and when a person has a healthy family life, they want more of it.
Johnson has worked for Turner Sports since 1989. “Inside the NBA” premiered in 1990. CharlesCharles Barkley said it best when he said Johnson has led for all these years. We all saw the day coming. It’s still a tough pill to swallow. Barkley was emotional on air, which is rare for him. But it shows how much Johnson means to him. He’s been with him since 2000. Johnson is family to Barkley.
Barkley confirmed the 2026–27 season is 100% his last on the show. Johnson won more than 20 Sports Emmy Awards over the decades. The show transitioned from TNT Sports to ESPN and ABC starting last season.
“Inside the NBA” is set for 25 regular-season appearances on ESPN in 2026-27, plus the playoffs through the NBA Finals. Johnson and the rest of the crew never covered the NBA Finals until last season. NBA on TNT never covered the NBA Finals during their run.
Shaquille O Neal, Kenny Smith, and Barkley are forever thankful for the respect and for taking a chance on them. This is a championship cast with unpredictable moments, and they have been brothers on air for years.
It’s the end of an era. The show is never the same without Johnson in the studio. He has done it for a long time. Johnson is the ultimate professional. May God bless him. We thank him for his honesty and control, and for being the best host for a basketball show.
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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