Ernie Johnson won’t lobby to pick his replacement on Inside the NBA. Instead, he told Dan Le Batard the show will thrive no matter who takes the chair.
What We Know: Johnson announced last week that the 2026-27 season will be his last as host on the Emmy award winning program. He joined Turner Sports in 1989 and has hosted the show since 1990. However, he stressed he isn’t retiring and will keep hosting NCAA Tournament coverage for CBS and TNT Sports. Meanwhile, Skydance now controls TNT Sports after closing its Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition. During his chat on The Dan Le Batard Show, Johnson reflected that he has a couple of potential successors despite likely layoffs coming to TNT Sports.
What They Said: (All quotes via The Dan Le Batard Show):
Ernie Johnson if he’d like say in his successor: “I don’t know. Why should I? I don’t need to have a say in that. I’m not the only one who can do this job. A lot of folks would love to be sitting next to those three. So, whoever it is, the show will be in great hands. Obviously, I got a couple of people in mind, but I don’t really feel like I need to share that.”
Ernie Johnson on upcoming cuts with the Skydance merger with TNT Sports: “It’s tough to watch. I’m not bitter. I’m sad because a lot of good friends are cut loose. We’ve seen it a few times here in the 2000s, and so that’s always the most difficult part. But I’ll tell you what: If they are if they are part of this takeover [or] merger, and there’s not a spot for them. They’ll all land on their feet because our people are that good.”
What Remains Unclear: Neither TNT Sports nor ESPN has named Johnson’s replacement. Notably, Inside the NBA remains a TNT production, even though it airs on ESPN and ABC. Furthermore, Charles Barkley has repeatedly said he will leave when Johnson does.
What It Means: Ultimately, Johnson’s comments reflect the humility that defined his decades behind the desk. Still, the next host inherits a show facing new ownership, staffing cuts, and possibly a new lineup. As a result, the coming months could reshape Inside the NBA’s future.
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