Ernie Johnson is one of the most beloved figures on sports television, serving as the host of TNT's Inside the NBA starting in 1990 and continuing all the way up until Saturday night's final game of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Johnson and analysts Shaquille O'Neal, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley celebrated the Indiana Pacers' ECF win at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday night while coming to terms with the end of the show's run on TNT.
The evening was punctuated with stark commentary from Johsnon, who made an admission on how the end of the NBA on TNT made him felt while signing off of a network broadcast for the very last time.
Myles Turner speaks with Ernie Johnson Saturday.
Ernie Johnson speaks with Myles Turner after the Pacers' win.
© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Johnson admitted that the decision to move the show from TNT to ABC/ESPN is "sad" on the NBA on TNT broadcast Saturday, part of a heartfelt speech that went viral.
Fans chanted "TNT!" as Johnson gave his speech.
"If I had written the script, the NBA and TNT would be together forever," Johnson said.
"It's not gonna happen," he admitted, appearing to fight back tears during a long winded silence.
"But, while I was disappointed and I was sad, I was not bitter. We know how business works."
Johnson also spoke on the importance of gratitude as a life strategy and mindset. He gave a shout-out to departing NBA on TNT employees before thanking the audience, which was met with a round of applause.
"We look forward...But look, the four of us are gonna be together, our production crew is gonna be together. It's gonna be that same bunch, we're still gonna be shooting that show in Atlanta, it's just gonna air somewhere else," he added.