The NBA world is set to lose a legend, as Ernie Johnson announced his retirement after the 2026-27 campaign. His announcement came as a shock and prompted heartfelt messages from his fellow presenters, with Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley all sharing messages for him on Wednesday.
The quartet appeared on ESPN’s Tip-Off show to discuss Johnson’s retirement, with Barkley delivering a heartfelt monologue honoring the legendary broadcaster.
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“That was tough. We knew the day was coming; it’s still tough,” Barkley said. “It’s been an amazing journey. You’ve been our leader, unquestionable leader … The question I’m probably asked the most is, ‘Is Ernie Johnson as good a person as he seems?’ And I say, ‘Man, he’s better than that.’ So I just want to say Thank You.”
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Kenny Smith was next to pay tribute to Johnson.
“It feels the same way as when I walked into the Rockets’ locker room for the first time,” Smith said. “Your energy made me feel that way … when I walked in the building, I said, ‘This is a championship,’ and that was because of you, brother.”
Four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal went last, sharing heartfelt words for Johnson.
“I only came here because you were here,” Shaq said. “You are the controller of this thing people call a circus. It’s the best circus in town, but without you, it’s going to be very, very difficult.”
A clip of their monologues was later shared on X (formerly Twitter) by a fan who expressed his feelings about Johnson leaving the show.
“I’m bawling my eyes out in the uber,” the fan wrote.
Others quickly joined in to show their love for Johnson, with many expressing heartbreak over his impending departure.
“It made a grown man cry for sure,” a fan wrote.
Johnson is set to retire at the end of this season after nearly 37 years of calling games across various networks.
Ernie Johnson opens up on why he is retiring at the end of the season
Ernie Johnson shocked the NBA world when he announced his retirement on social media on Wednesday. He later reiterated the announcement on-air, explaining his decision to step away.
“Allow me a couple of minutes to fill you in. You know I’ve been hosting this show, ‘Inside the NBA’ for a long time. This is my 37th year,” Johnson said.
“As the years have gone by, I turned 70 this past summer, folks have asked me, ‘So how long you gonna keep on doing “Inside?”‘ and the short answer is this will be my last season. It’s totally my decision. It’s just time.”
Johnson, alongside Barkley, O’Neal, and Smith, helped create one of the best sports shows on television, which will be sorely missed following his departure.
Edited by Arian Kashyap
