Johnson Says 'Inside The NBA' Ends For Him This Season

Ernie Johnson, who has hosted "Inside the NBA" since 1990, will step down after this season. The 70-year-old announced the decision on social media Wednesday and said his reason for leaving is simple: "It's just time."

Johnson said he is not retiring and intends to slow down rather than stop. He plans to keep working, including covering the NCAA men's basketball tournament for CBS and Turner Sports. He said he has dealt with heart issues in recent years, but that heart trouble is not what drove the change.

Johnson joined Turner Sports in 1989. He has won six Sports Emmy Awards and was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame. He thanked his TNT Sports and ESPN crews over the years, along with viewers who followed the program. "I just want to say thanks to you. Thanks for your loyalty, for your love, for your support. And on this day, for your understanding," Johnson said.

He described the departure as a shift rather than a finish. "This is by no means the end. It's just a turning of the page," Johnson said. "And I'll forever cherish every chapter we have written with 'Inside the NBA.'"

Johnson said his current course will not change. "I just want to slow down a bit," he said in his post. He has hosted the show since 1990, a run that began more than three decades ago.