Ernie Johnson will retire as host of "Inside the NBA" after the season, the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer announced in a social media video on Wednesday.
asserted
Hall → retire → Wednesday
Johnson, 70, will continue covering the NCAA men’s basketball tournament for CBS and Turner Sports.
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Johnson → continue → CBS
The announcement generated two separate discussions across the industry.
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announcement → generate → industry
The other concerns the obvious.
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other → concern → obvious
His departure creates an opening on one of the most prestigious and popular shows in sports media.
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departure → create → media
Speaking to sources Wednesday, no one was confident in who would succeed Johnson just yet.
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who → speak → Johnson
For one, "Inside the NBA" remains a TNT production, despite moving to ESPN airwaves last season.
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Inside → remain → airwaves
Skydance Corporation, which owns TNT and CBS, controls the show.
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which → own → show
ESPN does not.
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ESPN → do → ?
That said, ESPN will likely influence the decision.
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ESPN → say → decision
Andrews hosted the network’s NBA Finals coverage before the deal with "Inside the NBA."
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Andrews → host → NBA
She currently hosts ESPN’s daily basketball show, "NBA Today," and its pregame show, "NBA Countdown."
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She → host → show
The question is whether Andrews can preserve the show’s signature off-the-cuff identity.
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Andrews → preserve → identity
She has struggled in the past when covering topics involving serious issues.
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She → struggle → issues
She previously teared up on set while discussing the Supreme Court’s decision to return abortion laws to the states and falsely claimed that the Constitution prohibits doing so.
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Constitution → tear → states
It does not.
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It → do → ?
Andrews also made false claims about Kyle Rittenhouse carrying weapons across state lines.
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Rittenhouse → make → lines
Adam Lefkoe is the other candidate frequently mentioned by sources.
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Lefkoe → mention → sources
Lefkoe is a TNT employee who previously hosted a Tuesday edition of "Inside the NBA" and has filled in for Johnson in recent years.
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who → host → years
He also has a rapport with Shaquille O’Neal, who will remain an analyst on the show.
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who → have → show
Lefkoe and O’Neal co-
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Lefkoe → co → ?
After Lefkoe and Andrews, opinions were mixed regarding other candidates.
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opinions → mix → candidates
Qualified NBA hosts are not simply waiting for an opportunity.
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hosts → wait → opportunity
Most of ESPN’s top hosts are occupied elsewhere.
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Most → occupy → hosts
Mike Greenberg and Scott Van Pelt host NFL pregame shows.
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Greenberg → host → shows
Rece Davis hosts both the football and basketball editions of "GameDay."
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Davis → host → GameDay
Laura Rutledge works across the NFL and college football and should be in line to succeed Van Pelt in the coming years.
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Rutledge → work → years
Each would be a quality replacement for Johnson, but for one reason or another, they may not want the job.
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they → want → job
Barkley has said this will also be his final season on the show.
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this → say → show
However, he has made that claim many times before, only to return the following year.
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he → make → claim
Barkley’s departure could dramatically change the show’s style.
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departure → change → style
Bluntly put, the options to replace Ernie Johnson are not ideal.
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options → put → Johnson
It is therefore fair to question how promising the future of "Inside the NBA" is.
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future → question → NBA
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