‘I Was Done After Last Year’ — Charles Barkley Reveals How Ernie Johnson Talked Him Into Returning to ‘Inside the NBA’ on ESPN for 1 Final Season
· Yahoo Sports
Charles Barkley had already made up his mind about leaving “Inside the NBA” when its run on TNT came to an end. He wasn’t particularly interested in starting over with another network.
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But a conversation with longtime co-host Ernie Johnson changed his plans. With Johnson now preparing to leave the show himself, the Hall of Famer’s decision to return has taken on new significance.
Charles Barkley Says Ernie Johnson Persuaded Him to Stay on “Inside the NBA”
During an Oct. 1 appearance on “In the Trenches with Damien Woody,” the 1993 NBA MVP explained why he was ready to walk away after TNT lost its NBA broadcasting rights.
“I was done after last year, and I think Ernie was done. We lost a package to NBC,” Barkley recalled. “And we both met with NBC, and I met with Amazon. I’m like, ‘You know what? I’m good. I’m 63 years old. I’m good.’”
The NBA’s new 11-year, $76 billion media agreement with Disney, NBC and Amazon ended TNT’s long-running NBA coverage. “Inside the NBA” subsequently moved to ESPN and ABC under a licensing arrangement, with TNT Sports continuing to produce the show from Atlanta.
Johnson called after learning that ESPN wanted to carry the program. The conversation soon turned to the show’s production staff.
“And then I get a call from Ernie telling us that ESPN wants to buy the show, and I said, ‘What do you think?’” Barkley said. “He said, ‘Well, we talking a couple hundred people get to keep their jobs.’”
The prospect of keeping those employees working convinced Sir Charles to reconsider, although he made it clear that he didn’t want to spend the rest of his life on television.
“I would consider that if everybody’s going to keep their job. But Ernie, I don’t want to drop dead on TV. I want to drop dead on the 13th fairway,” he joked.
The 11-time All-Star had already indicated that his return wouldn’t be indefinite. During a September appearance on “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” he described himself and Johnson as a package deal and said the 2026-27 season would be his last unless Johnson changed his mind.
On October 28, Johnson announced that he would step away from “Inside the NBA” after 37 seasons as host. He emphasized that the decision was his own and that he felt it was time to leave the program. His announcement did not mean he was retiring from television altogether.
Barkley responded emotionally during the broadcast, thanking his longtime colleague for his leadership. Barkley and Johnson have worked together for more than two decades, with Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal completing the show’s longtime core.
The former Phoenix Suns star has not publicly confirmed whether Johnson’s announcement changes his plans. His September comments remain his clearest indication that he intends to leave “Inside the NBA” after the 2026-27 season.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.