Ernie Johnson announced Wednesday that the 2026-27 NBA season will be his last as host of TNT Sports’ “Inside the NBA,” ending a 37-year run behind the desk. Johnson, 70, said the decision was entirely his own.
He will spend one final season alongside longtime co-hosts Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal before stepping away.
Johnson revealed that a factor in his timing was a heart condition he has managed for the past two years, including bypass surgery 14 months ago.
“Still trying to get this thing to beat in exactly the way it should, and we are getting there,” Johnson said in a video posted to X. “I feel great. So, this isn’t a case where my doctor said ‘You need to stop working.’ It’s nothing like that, but here’s the deal. Going through that has made me treasure even more every second with my amazing wife of 44 years Cheryl and being Poppi to our five grandchildren.”
“So, I just want to slow down a bit and spend more time enjoying that,” he added.
Johnson was careful to clarify he isn’t leaving the business altogether. “This is by no means the end. It’s just a turning of the page,” he said, noting he is “not retiring” but “cutting back.”
He plans to continue work on March Madness coverage and other projects for TNT and CBS. He has also launched a production company, 32 Bowties, aimed at telling feel-good sports stories.
Johnson said the hours of preparation that once energized him before each broadcast have become “more of a challenge than it is a joy,” a sign he took as confirmation it was time to step back.
His final full season closed on a high note in June, when he hosted the New York Knicks’ championship celebration after their Game 5 win over the San Antonio Spurs, and interviewed NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson on the set of “Inside the NBA.”
“It’s just time,” Johnson said. “It’s been an honor to share so many nights, decades actually at the desk with my brothers — Kenny, Charles and Shaq — and with our production crews who are so talented and devoted. I so appreciate the leadership at TNT and ESPN for allowing the show to continue.”
