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Adam Lefkoe hosted Inside the NBA on Thursday night, with Ernie Johnson missing the show for the second week in a row. Lefkoe is the host of the NBA on TNT's Tuesday show alongside Shaquille O'Neal, Candace Parker and Jamal Crawford.
But why is Lefkoe hosting Thursday's show this week instead of Johnson? The veteran host has been on leave since the passing of his mother, Lois Johnson, on Jan. 17. She was 94 years old and is survived by her two children, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Kevin Frazier filled in for Ernie last week as the Inside the NBA crew paid tribute to the Johnson matriarch. Shaq, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley all shared stories about her following a video tribute.
Charles Barkley called Lois Johnson a great parent, not just to Ernie Johnson, but to them as well. Kenny Smith said that the bond they have is much bigger than basketball, while Shaquille O'Neal praised her for raising the greatest gentleman he has ever met.
It has been a tough couple of years for the Johnson family. Ernie lost his son, Michael, at the age of 33 in October 2021. Michael was one of Ernie's four adopted children. He was adopted from Romania in 1991 and was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
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Who is Adam Lefkoe?
Adam Lefkoe is the current host of the NBA on TNT every Tuesday. Lefkoe has been a part of the Turner Sports family since 2013. He started as a reporter for local stations in Kentucky before joining Bleacher Report.
After helping Bleacher Report grow, Lefkoe started appearing on TNT in 2019. He joined NBA on TNT as a guest host to replace the Players Only show. He has also filled in for Inside the NBA whenever Ernie Johnson's been unavailable, just like on Thursday.
Adam Lefkoe recently signed an extension and will remain the host of NBA on TNT every Tuesday. He will also continue to work for Bleacher Report and NBA TV.
"I'm honored, thrilled, and grateful," Lefkoe said in a statement. "I'm coming up on a decade with Bleacher Report and Turner Sports and now WBD Sports. The last time I extended my contract, it was very much them taking a chance on me and moving me from mainly digital to broadcast with the Tuesday show."
