Ernie Johnson to Leave 'Inside the NBA' After 2026-27 Season

Ernie Johnson announced on social media Wednesday that the 2026-27 NBA season will be his last as host of "Inside the NBA." It is his 37th year leading the studio show, which has been a fixture of NBA coverage since it debuted in 1989.

"This will be my last season," Johnson said. "Totally my decision. It's just time. It's been an honor to share so many nights, decades actually, with my brothers."

The program, a pre- and post-game show, features Johnson alongside Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith. Johnson, 70, shared the news in a video of nearly three minutes.

He made clear that he is not leaving the broadcast business altogether. Johnson said he will remain part of the March Madness coverage shared by TNT and CBS Sports.

"Just to be clear, I'm not retiring," Johnson said. "Just cutting back. I'll still do March Madness and other projects for TNT and CBS, and I've just started a new production company called 32 Bowties geared toward telling feel-good stories in sports. So this is by no means the end. It's just a turning of the page. I'll forever cherish every chapter we have written with Inside the NBA."

The announcement carries added weight for the rest of the show's cast. Barkley, one of its staples, said last month on an episode of "The Bill Simmons Podcast" that this season would also be his last unless Johnson changed his mind about staying beyond it.

Barkley described the two as inseparable. "Me and Ernie are a package deal," he said. He recalled that Johnson had asked him to stay for two more years, and that he agreed, telling his colleague, "I love you, man. You're the best."

Barkley was direct about what would happen next. "So right now, unless Ernie changes his mind, next year is my last year, 100 percent," he said. "If he says he's done, I'm gone."