“You’ve Been Our Leader”: ‘Inside the NBA’ Crew Holds Back Tears as Charles Barkley, Shaq Pay Tribute to Retiring Ernie Johnson

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. “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.