'It's still hard, brother': Charles Barkley tears up on air after Ernie Johnson's farewell-season news

Ernie Johnson’s announcement that this will be his final season hosting “Inside the NBA” had already made headlines on Wednesday. Then the show went on the air that night, and Charles Barkley’s response became the moment everyone was talking about.

What did Charles Barkley say to Ernie Johnson?

At the top of Wednesday’s show, the first since Johnson’s video announcement, Barkley spoke to his longtime host with tears on his face, according to Awful Announcing’s account published by Yahoo Sports.

“That was tough,” Barkley said. “We knew the day was coming. It’s still tough. I’ve been here for 26, 27 years, and it’s been an honor and a privilege to work with you all this time. Kenny and Shaq, and the amazing people behind the scenes.”

He went on: “You’ve been our leader. Our unquestionable leader.” Barkley said the question he hears most is whether Johnson is as good a person as he seems. “And I say, ‘Man, he’s better than that,’” he said, per The Sporting News.

He closed with a story about his late mentor, Hall of Famer Joe Morgan, who once asked his father what to say when meeting Jackie Robinson and was told that a simple thank-you goes a long way. “And all I can say, Ernie, is thank you,” Barkley said. Awful Announcing reported that Johnson and the rest of the crew got choked up.

How did Kenny Smith and Shaq react?

Both added their own tributes, according to Pro Football Network’s coverage, also syndicated by Yahoo Sports. Kenny Smith compared working with Johnson to walking into the Houston Rockets’ locker room for the first time, crediting Johnson’s energy for convincing him the group could do something special. Shaquille O’Neal said the chance to work with Johnson helped persuade him to join the show in 2011.

Why is Ernie Johnson leaving Inside the NBA?

In his video, Johnson said, “This will be my last season. Totally my decision. It’s just time,” Newsweek reported. Newsweek said he turned 70 this past summer and also referenced dealing with “heart issues” over the past two years, saying he is “still trying to get this thing beat the way it should” and that “we’re getting there.” He said that experience made him want to slow down and spend more time with loved ones.

He is not leaving television altogether. Newsweek reported he plans to keep working on other projects for CBS and TNT, including March Madness.

Is Charles Barkley leaving too?

That is the big follow-up question, and the reporting is not fully settled. Newsweek wrote that Barkley has announced his intention to end his broadcasting career after this season. Awful Announcing, via Yahoo Sports, noted that both men had hinted this offseason that 2026-27 would be their last on the show, but said Barkley “has flip-flopped” on the subject before. The Sporting News pointed out that Barkley has said in the past he would only do the show with Johnson as host. Barkley did not make a new formal announcement about his own future in the coverage cited here.

Where can you watch Inside the NBA now?

On ESPN. The Sporting News noted the show moved from Turner to ESPN last year after TNT lost its NBA rights. Wednesday’s edition led into an ESPN doubleheader, 76ers vs. Pacers and Thunder vs. Mavericks, according to Newsweek. Barkley joked about the show’s corporate journey on air: “So many people at Turner, WBD, and now, I guess, we’re Skydance.”

FAQ

Earlier coverage: Ernie Johnson says 2026-27 will be his final season hosting 'Inside the NBA' (Oct 28)