Ernie Johnson stepping away from Inside the NBA after 2026-27 season

Ernie Johnson stepping away Inside the NBA after the 2026-27 season marks a major upcoming change for one of basketball’s most familiar studio shows. Johnson, 70, says he will leave the program following that season, while currently in his 37th year hosting the show.

Inside the NBA has long been described as a staple of NBA coverage, and Johnson’s role at the center of the desk has been one of the show’s defining constants. His planned exit gives the program a clear transition point after the 2026-27 campaign.

Johnson sets his timeline

Johnson’s decision is not immediate. He says he will step away after the 2026-27 season, meaning his run on Inside the NBA is set to continue through that campaign before he leaves the hosting role.

The timeline matters because it gives NBA fans a defined endpoint for one of the longest-running hosting tenures in modern sports television. Johnson is in his 37th year with the show, a number that underlines how closely his name has become tied to the program.

At 70, Johnson remains one of the most recognizable studio hosts in American sports. His planned departure will close a long chapter for a show that has been part of the NBA viewing routine for generations of fans.

A long-running face of NBA studio television

Inside the NBA is regarded as a staple of NBA coverage, and Johnson’s long tenure is central to that status. Hosting a studio show for nearly four decades is rare in sports media, where formats, networks and casts often change over time.

Johnson’s 37th year hosting the show places his upcoming exit in a broader context: this is not a short-term change or a routine shuffle. It is the planned end of a hosting run that has spanned a significant era of NBA television.

The program’s identity has been built around its familiar studio presence, with Johnson serving as the anchor of the show’s presentation. His departure after 2026-27 will be one of the most notable NBA media transitions of that season.

What it means for Inside the NBA

Johnson’s announcement does not change the immediate future of the show. He is set to remain in place through the 2026-27 season before stepping away.

For viewers, that creates an extended farewell period rather than a sudden exit. The show will continue into the upcoming seasons with Johnson still in the host’s chair, while fans know that his final season is now scheduled.

The significance comes from the length of the run. A 37th year hosting Inside the NBA reflects a level of continuity that has helped make the show a fixture for NBA fans in the United States.

What happens next

Johnson’s next two seasons will carry added attention as the 2026-27 endpoint approaches. His final stretch on Inside the NBA will give the show and its audience time to recognize a tenure that has helped define NBA studio programming.

For now, the key point is clear: Ernie Johnson says he will step away from Inside the NBA following the 2026-27 season, ending a hosting run now in its 37th year.