{"id":944596,"date":"2026-10-29T01:28:17","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T01:28:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/944596\/"},"modified":"2026-10-29T01:28:17","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T01:28:17","slug":"what-ernie-johnsons-inside-the-nba-retirement-means-for-charles-barkley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/944596\/","title":{"rendered":"What Ernie Johnson’s ‘Inside the NBA’ retirement means for Charles Barkley"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ernie Johnson\u2019s time as the host of the beloved \u201cInside the NBA\u201d is coming to an end. But now all eyes are on the rest of the panel \u2014 and what Johnson\u2019s departure means for the future of the show.<\/p>\n

Johnson, 70, announced Wednesday<\/a> that he\u2019ll be leaving the show following this season, 37 years after joining the program in 1990. His exit will create a void on the panel of the long-running show that has aired on both TNT and ESPN. Whether the show lives on in the same shape or form remains to be seen, but, unless something changes, at least one talking head \u2014 Charles Barkley \u2014 will be leaving with Johnson after this season<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Barkley previously announced that the 2024-25 season<\/a> would be his last on the NBA show, but has continued on as it shifted to the Worldwide Leader last year.<\/p>\n

\"CharlesCharles Barkley, left, and Ernie Johnson Jr. attend the 2018 NBA Awards at Barker Hangar on Monday, June 25, 2018, in Santa Monica, Calif. Getty Images for Turner Sports<\/p>\n

But during an appearance on The Ringer\u2019s \u201cThe Bill Simmons Podcast\u201d at the end of the summer, Barkley indicated that he\u2019d not only be done as a panelist but that he and Johnson were a \u201cpackage deal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMe and Ernie are a package deal,\u201d Barkley told Simmons. \u201cSo right now, unless Ernie changes his mind, next year is my last year, 100 percent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barkley then recalled in his conversation with Simmons that the folks at TNT asked him to stay two more years \u2014 before the network would lose the rights to the NBA. ESPN has broadcast it now for the last two years, keeping Johnson, Barkley, Shaquille O\u2019Neal and Kenny Smith together. <\/p>\n

Charles Barkley gets emotional addressing Ernie Johnson:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been an honor and privilege to work with you all this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson announced today that he will be leaving Inside the NBA after this season. pic.twitter.com\/jpaBbNpVMy<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) October 28, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe only reason I stayed is so everybody could keep their job behind the scenes,\u201d Barkley explained.<\/p>\n

Barkley got emotional addressing Johnson during the show on Wednesday night, thanking him for being their \u201cunquestionable leader\u201d and noting how tough the day was, even when they knew it was coming. <\/p>\n

\"CharlesCharles Barkley looks on before Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Wednesday, June 3, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Barkley also joined \u201cPost Moves with Candace Parker & Aliyah Boston\u201d for a podcast episode<\/a> that went up Wednesday, shortly before Johnson announced his imminent exit from the show<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been an honor to work with Ernie, Kenny and Shaq,\u201d Barkley said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got the best crew in the business. We\u2019re all waiting on Ernie to make a decision \u2014 he\u2019s the godfather. I\u2019ll have nothing but love and admiration and respect for that guy.\u201d<\/p>\n

What the show will look like in the future beyond this season remains unclear. What is clear is that \u201cInside the NBA\u201d is slated to air for Wednesday\u2019s slate of games and will continue through the playoffs.<\/p>\n

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