An era in sports broadcasting is officially drawing to a close. Opening Wednesday night’s broadcast of NBA Tip-Off, Ernie Johnson, the iconic Godfather of Inside the NBA for 37 seasons, addressed viewers directly to confirm that the 2026–27 NBA season will be his, his bow tie, and famous yellow notepad’s final one behind the desk.
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“Allow me a couple of minutes to fill you in,” Johnson began, standing alone in Studio J at the start of the show. “You know I’ve been hosting this show, Inside the NBA, for a long time. 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. As the years have gone by, I turned 70 this past summer. 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.”
Ernie Johnson, a six-time Sports Emmy Award winner, explained that his choice came down to the demanding preparation required behind the scenes. Having always vowed to step away if the prep work ever became more of a challenge than a joy, he decided after nearly four decades that the moment had arrived.
He also revealed ongoing health issues, confirming he underwent heart bypass surgery 14 months ago after dealing with heart issues for nearly two years. While clarifying that doctors did not order him to stop working, Ernie emphasized a desire to spend more time with his wife of 44 years, Cheryl, and their five grandchildren.
When the broadcast transitioned to the main desk, emotional Inside Guys Charles Barkley, Kenny “The Jet” Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal offered moving tributes to their studio leader.
Through tears, Chuck set the tone for the panel, “That was tough. We knew the day was coming; it’s still tough. Been here for 26, 27 years, and it’s been an honor and a privilege to work with you all this time. You’ve been our leader, an unquestionable leader. The question I’m asked the most is, ‘Is Ernie Johnson as good a person as he seems?’ And I say, ‘Man, he’s better than that.'”
Recalling advice from MLB legend Joe Morgan about showing gratitude to figures who seem beyond words, Barkley concluded simply, “All I can say, Ernie, is thank you.”
Kenny Smith, who was one of the first tenured panelists of former NBA players three decades ago, compared his early days on set with Johnson to the Houston Rockets’ championship squad when asked by a staffer on his second day in the studio job. “Man, it feels the same way when I walked in the Rockets locker room for the first time… I feel like I can win a championship.”
The 2x NBA champion credited the host for establishing that winning culture.
“Your energy made me feel that way and I didn’t even know what an Emmy was at that time and I didn’t know what the importance of those things were. And here we are as a group, 40 to 50 Emmys deep, in all different categories. And it literally when I walked in the building, I said, ‘This is a championship.’ And it was because of you, brother.”
Shaquille O’Neal, who recalled being interviewed by The Godfather as a young NBA player, emphasized that Johnson was the primary reason he agreed to join the broadcast team 15 years ago.
“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.”
Visibly moved by his co-hosts’ words, Johnson replied, “I grew up with two older sisters. Closest I’ll ever come to having brothers, you three… and what do we always say? We are all black friends.”
Ernie’s farewell season comes amid a dynamic period of transition for Inside the NBA. Following the expiration of Turner Sports’ NBA media rights contract at the conclusion of the 2024–25 season, TNT and ESPN struck a licensing deal to keep Inside the NBA going with its original crew. Under this deal, TNT Sports continues to produce the show out of its Atlanta studio while ESPN broadcasts it during major regular-season and playoff events. Barkley’s public comments about the limited schedule contributed to a more consistent broadcast schedule for this season.
The news also aligns with comments Charles Barkley made in September on The Bill Simmons Podcast, where he suggested he and Ernie operated as a “package deal” regarding their broadcasting futures. While Barkley has contemplated retirement at various points over the past decade, Johnson’s concrete timetable marks the definitive end of the show’s foundational era.
Tonight, Chuck didn’t bring back his own retirement claims and kept the spotlight on Ernie.
Though he is stepping down from his nightly studio duties on Inside the NBA, Johnson clarified that he is not fully retiring from television. He will continue his studio work for the NCAA March Madness tournament coverage on TNT and CBS and will oversee his newly launched production company, 32 Bowties, focused on inspirational sports storytelling.
For the remainder of the 2026–27 campaign, basketball fans will have one final season to celebrate the hall-of-fame broadcaster who anchored sports television’s most celebrated studio desk.