Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Ernie Johnson announced his decision to retire as host of “Inside the NBA” after the season, saying in a social media video Wednesday that it was his decision to step away and that “it’s just time.”
Johnson led coverage of “Inside the NBA” with the same message confirming his decision to retire as host of the show. He revealed that while he’s retiring as host of the show, he’s not calling it the end of his career as he continues in roles like March Madness coverage.
“Just to be clear, I’m not retiring,” Johnson said. “Just cutting back. … So this is by no means the end. It’s just a turning of the page. And I’ll forever cherish every chapter we have written with ‘Inside the NBA.'”
After watching video of Johnson’s announcement, longtime on-air partner Charley Barkley was visibly emotional.
“That was tough,” Barkley said in a hoarse tone with tears streaming down his face. “We knew the day was coming. It’s still tough. I’ve been here for 26, 27 years, and it’s been an honor and a privilege to work with you all this time. Kenny and Shaq, and the amazing people behind the scenes. Nothing like it. To be able to dribble a stupid basketball and get rich and famous, and then come here and get paid to watch the best players in the world.”
Charles Barkley was very emotional on ‘Inside the NBA’ reacting to Ernie Johnson’s announcement. 🏀📺🎙️❤️ https://t.co/uEJq43fiFb pic.twitter.com/ffzKkBR7wT
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 28, 2026
“I just to say thank you. Thank you for being our leader for all these years. Man, it’s still, even though I knew it was coming, it’s still hard brother…One of my great mentors was Joe Morgan. And he gave me this piece of advice one time. He was gonna meet Jackie Robinson,” Barkley continued.
“He called his dad and said, ‘Dad, I’m gonna meet Jackie Robinson tomorrow. What do I say? I don’t know how to put it into words.’ He said, ‘Son, just tell him thank you because a thank you goes a long way.’ He said he bumped into Jackie Robinson like 20 years later, he said, ‘You’re the kid who said thank you to me. And all I can say, Ernie, is thank you.”
Johnson, 70, acknowledged that he has dealt with heart issues in recent years. While he said that he was doing well, the health matters helped him realize the importance of time with family, adding “I just want to slow down a bit.”
Barkley previously said this will be his final year on the show and also previously said he’d retire if Johnson did, but he’s also talked about retirement several times over the past few years and remained on the show.
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