Charles Barkley broke some very happy news to his longtime colleague Ernie Johnson.

The two are among the announcers on TNT’s coverage of “The Match” pitting Steph Curry and Klay Thompson versus Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce at the Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas on Thursday.

“Can I say something, Ernie?” Charles delivered. “This is big. I’m the only person up here who knows this. I want to be the first person, it’s an honor and a privilege to congratulate Ernie Johnson on going into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame.”

Johnson, 66, handled the news in stride.

“Get out of here,” he said calmly. “Chuckster, what are you talking about?”

Barkley explained that he was tapped to communicate the message.

“Man, that is awesome! Thank you so much,” Johnson said, joking that he was going to take the rest of the day off.

“Whoever is responsible for that, whoever votes for that, I am humbled beyond words. Thank you so much. Means the world to me. I’ve been at this for 34 years at the same place [Turner Sports], and over 40 years in broadcasting. I’m stunned. Thank you so much. I appreciate that very much.”

Johnson got his first sportscasting job in college, at WAGQ-FM in Athens, Ga., before spending time as a news anchor at WMAZ-TV in Macon, Ga., a news reporter at WSPA-TV in Spartanburg, Sc. and WSB-TV in Atlanta.

Johnson got hired at Turner Sports, which changed parent companies from Turner to Time Warner to AT&T to now Warner Bros. Discovery, in 1989.

He is most revered for his role in hosting “Inside the NBA” with Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal, a show that is wildly popular with basketball fans.

The Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame typically holds its induction ceremony in December at the Hilton Midtown in Manhattan.