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Ernie Johnson to Exit “Inside the NBA” After 2026-27

By Drooid · Oct 29, 2026 · How we work

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Summary

Ernie Johnson announced he will exit Inside the NBA after the 2026-27 season, his 37th as host.
He cited heart issues, including bypass surgery 14 months earlier, as a factor.
Johnson said he will continue covering March Madness for TNT and CBS.
He wants more time with his wife of 44 years, Cheryl Ann, and their grandchildren.
He also launched 32 Bowties, a production company for feel-good sports stories.

History

In 1994 Chick Hearn ended a 41-year run as the Los Angeles Lakers’ play-by-play voice, after calling 3,338 straight games since 1965 and becoming the first broadcaster inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. His retirement ended the long-standing TV-radio simulcast tradition, a shift that foreshadowed later moves by veteran NBA personalities such as Ernie Johnson, who announced his 2026-27 exit from Inside the NBA.

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In 1994 Chick Hearn ended a 41-year run as the Los Angeles Lakers’ play-by-play voice, after calling 3,338 straight games since 1965 and becoming the first broadcaster inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. His retirement ended the long-standing TV-radio simulcast tradition, a shift that foreshadowed later moves by veteran NBA personalities such as Ernie Johnson, who announced his 2026-27 exit from Inside the NBA.

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