“I Was Concerned”: Ernie Johnson Opens Up on Charles Barkley’s Emotional Moment and Inside the NBA Future

Ernie Johnson has admitted that watching Charles Barkley struggle emotionally during the announcement of his departure from Inside the NBA was difficult to witness. The longtime host had expected an emotional response, but seeing his colleague unable to speak left him concerned about how Barkley was handling the news. Johnson announced on October 28 that the 2026–27 season would be his last as host of Inside the NBA , bringing an end to a 37-year run with the show.