{
  "id": 16943829,
  "title": "Ernie Johnson Leaving ‘Inside the NBA’ After 37 Years",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/ernie-johnson-leaving-inside-the-nba-after-37-years",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-28T18:52:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Front Office Sports",
    "slug": "front-office-sports",
    "url": "https://frontofficesports.com/article/ernie-johnson-leaving-inside-the-nba-after-37-years/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ernie Johnson has announced his departure from the long-running show Inside the NBA after a remarkable 37-year tenure. In a video posted to social media, Johnson stated that it was his own personal decision and attributed it to the passage of time. The longtime host explained that his dedication to preparation and the joy he found in the work led him to believe it was time to move on. Johnson, now 70, also revealed that heart issues, including a recent bypass surgery, have played a role in his decision. However, he assured that his health is not immediately at risk and that his primary concern is spending quality time with his family. ESPN acquired the rights to Inside the NBA from TNT last season, following TNT's loss of NBA broadcasting rights to Amazon and NBC. Johnson's future with the program was uncertain after Charles Barkley, a co-host, hinted at his own retirement plans. Despite speculation, Johnson confirmed he is not retiring and will continue to be involved with TNT and CBS, as well as his production company, 32 Bowties. Johnson concluded in the video, \"This is by no means the end—it's just a turning of the page.\"",
  "summary": "He’ll still be around for March Madness and other projects for TNT and CBS.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}