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Ernie Johnson barely managed to speak.
The “Inside the NBA” run at TNT ended on Saturday night nearly 40 years later as a league fixture. The show will move to ESPN and ABC next season, keeping Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley together.
“I’m proud to say at the end, ‘Thank you for looking at us, it’s the NBA from TNT,” Johnson said before turning his back to the camera, placing the microphone on the desk and finally getting up from the set.
The NBA games will not air on TNT from next season when the league’s new television packages begin. The 11-year media rights deal worth at least $76 billion will keep the game on ABC and ESPN, bringing the league back to NBC and launching a new relationship with Amazon Prime Video.
ABC will air the NBA Finals. In other words, the end of the Eastern Conference final between Indiana and New York was the end of the TNT run. Turner Sports first acquired the NBA package in 1984, and since the network was launched in 1988, the game has been TNT.
“Even if the name changes, the engine is still the same,” O’Neal said during the final broadcast. “And we are not around to the new network we are coming in. …We are taking over, OK?
With Indiana coach Rick Carlisle, that moment was not lost. His team just beat New York to win an NBA Finals spot, and when a brief interview with Johnson at the trophy ceremony ended, Carlisle grabbed the microphone from the host’s hands.
“The TNT has finished with an incredible, incredible run,” Carlisle said in an unproclaimed tribute. “We’re all very sad about that.”
Countless past and present broadcasters and analyst names were included in many of the tributes offered after the game, including Doug Collins, Hubby Brown, Dick Stockton, Sheryl Miller, Danny Ining, John Thompson, Steve Kerr, Mike Fratello, Marv Albert, Brian Anderson, Chris Webbbar and Candy Parker Sager.
“Our hearts are full of gratitude,” TNT’s Kevin Harlan spoke to viewers and said on air. “It’s not sadness, but gratitude and happiness so far. It was an honor. It was a privilege. And I hope you all enjoy it just like we do.”
Harlan also aired Reggie Miller, Stan Van Gandy and Ally LaForce, calling for playby in the final match.
“Think about my life. I’m very fortunate,” Miller said. “I only knew two. 18 years in one franchise in this building with the Indiana Pacers, and 19 years with Turner.”
Many members of the TNT Production crew have got jobs on NBC and Amazon, and Johnson is for example work at this point. “The best production crew in the business, I might add,” Johnson said.
And when I finally returned to the crew “inside the NBA” at TNT, the emotions were clear.
“It was an epic ride,” Smith said.
Barkley spoke about how he would sign with NBC when he began his broadcasting career and switched to TNT.
“I want to thank the NBA,” Berkley said. “Every coach I had, every player I played gave me this wonderful life I had. I am so lucky and blessed. I am so lucky and blessed. And I would like to thank TNT.
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