After 37 seasons as the face of Inside the NBA, Ernie Johnson is stepping away, and the basketball world is struggling to say goodbye. Steve Kerr knows what it takes to lead a studio show from his own years in the TNT broadcast booth. Now, the Golden State Warriors’ head coach is explaining why Johnson was far more than an anchor, calling him the moral compass of sports television.

Kerr spent nearly a decade with Turner Sports across two separate stints before taking over the Warriors in 2014. That time sitting alongside the show’s iconic crew gives his perspective rare weight. For Kerr, Johnson wasn’t just holding a microphone; he was keeping a cultural phenomenon grounded.

“I think he’s really kind of the moral compass, you know, the kind of the paternal figure of that show. Everybody adores Ernie,” Kerr said on 95.7 The Game. “He’s one of the kindest souls you’ll ever meet. He’s just an unbelievable human being. And the way he kept that show sort of, you know, on the rails, the beauty of the show is that it sometimes goes off the rails, and Ernie’s always there to pull it back. But his sense of humor and his sense of humanity, I think, always brought the best out of Charles, Kenny and Shaq.

“And he was, he’s just an incredibly gifted human being, much less, you know, you know, broadcaster. I mean, he’s just, he’s just a talented, talented guy, beloved by everybody. And so we’re going to miss him. And yeah, it was very, very sad to hear that he won’t be doing Inside anymore, but it makes sense. You know, he’s ready to move forward. All of his comments were exactly what I would have expected from Ernie, you know, putting his family first and, and recognizing when the right time was, and he feels good about that. And, but yeah, we’ll miss him. What a, what an incredible talent.”

Over three decades, Inside the NBA transformed from a standard postgame broadcast into a multi-Emmy-winning pop culture powerhouse. Johnson served as the straight man to a chaotic panel of hall-of-fame personalities, setting a gold standard for sports studio shows. Losing his presence marks the end of an era for TNT and a massive shift in how the league connects with fans.

The message followed when Ernie Johnson announced his retirement message first on social media and then during the broadcast on Wednesday. A part of the message was, “Folks have asked me, ‘So, how long are you going to keep on doing Inside?’ And the short answer is, this will be my last season. It’s totally my decision. It’s just time.”

His career began when he joined Turner Sports in 1989 as a sideline reporter and local sports anchor. Ernie Johnson followed in his father’s footsteps, who was a longtime voice for Atlanta baseball. He then became the permanent anchor of Inside the NBA in 1990, one year after its launch. And now that era comes to an end.

The six-time Sports Emmy Award winner even explained that behind-the-scenes preparation now felt demanding. His focus and desire now are to spend more quality family time with his wife of 44 years, Cheryl, and their five grandchildren. Ernie Johnson even had to undergo bypass surgery not too long ago.

“For nearly two years now, I’ve dealt with heart issues, had bypass surgery 14 months ago, still trying to get this thing to beat exactly the way it should,” he said in his video message on social media. “And we’re getting there. I mean, I feel great. So this isn’t a case where my doctor said, ‘You need to stop working.’ It’s nothing like that.”

Just like Steve Kerr, Ernie Johnson’s longtime colleagues celebrated their host. Charles Barkley, who often said that he and EJ came as a “package deal,” called the host “an unquestionable leader.” Kenny Smith even compared his time with the Houston Rockets, where he won two championships, and credited Johnson for steering that ship.

“Literally when I walked in the building, I said, ‘This is a championship.’ And it was because of you, brother.” Shaquille O’Neal used his usual playful style and yet delivered an emotional message.

“I only came here because you were here. You are the controller of this thing people call the circus. It’s the best circus in town, but without you, it’s going to be very, very difficult. All we could say is thank you, we appreciate you, and we’re going to miss you.”

One good thing is that even though Ernie Johnson won’t be performing his Inside the NBA duties, he will still be part of the NCAA March Madness tournament coverage on TNT and CBS. So the upcoming episodes will give fans a lot to cherish as Johnson moves on to his next endeavor.