Basketball followers can turn off notifications for Adrian Wojnarowski one final time.
The legendary ESPN NBA insider is putting down the work phone for good, as he announced his retirement from the journalism world on Wednesday. He is stepping down from his position after being in the role since 2017.
“I am retiring from a dream job at ESPN and am so incredibly grateful for my time and experiences with the World Wide Leader,” Wojnarowski said to ESPN.
Wojnarowski is set to take on the general manager role for the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball program, his alma mater. He graduated from the Western New York school in 1991 and is considered one of its most prestigious alums.
“It is a thrill of a lifetime to be able to return to a university and community that I love in a role of service to our student-athletes, coaches and institution,” Wojnarowski said. “I am hopeful that I can bring value in a lot of areas to our basketball program and open doors for our young men’s futures in ways both professionally and personally.”
The news resulted in numerous reactions out of the sporting world, paying tribute to Wojnarowski.
MORE: Why did Adrian Wojnarowski retire?
The news of Wojnarowski’s retirement caused a massive wave of reactions and tributes from around the sporting and basketball world.
Numerous ESPN colleagues and fellow NBA insiders took to social media to give Wojnarowski his flowers
Statement from ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro on Adrian Wojnarowski’s retirement from ESPN https://t.co/Bu5vHuK7E5 pic.twitter.com/GzQbwTiHlA
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) September 18, 2024
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) September 18, 2024
WELCOME TO COLLEGE BASKETBALL WOJ 💣
Longtime NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski joins @BonniesMBB as General Manager 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ErxBB24BhQ
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) September 18, 2024
Thanks for everything Woj. You’re a legend.
— Kevin O’Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) September 18, 2024
What a statement. What a career. Legend. https://t.co/rXDP8U74Me
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 18, 2024
Quite a Woj bomb.
Enjoy retirement.
Well deserved. https://t.co/LcvZ76DsZV— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) September 18, 2024
Wow. Congrats & best wishes to you and your family on your retirement. It was an honor to work with you for 15-plus years. You changed the ways that news is broken in sports and will be forever remembered for your Woj bombs. Respect my friend. Definitely left on top. Go Bonnies! https://t.co/rmgypIOC24
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) September 18, 2024
I’ve been fortunate to spend more than 20 years in this business working with reams of talented people. Adrian Wojnarowski is the best. Period. A peerless reporter. A gifted wordsmith. A storyteller nonpareil. He is Jim Brown and Barry Sanders, leaving at the apex of his game.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) September 18, 2024
Getting to know Woj some over the last few years has confirmed to me how he was able to make it to his spot in the first place — never shy about dropping a kind note on a story, a new job, or any other good news.
Legendary run! Now we say Go Bonnies 🫡 https://t.co/cv4v4HeqBj
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) September 18, 2024
One of the most influential people in sports media history https://t.co/C5205o7iLK
— Ethan Strauss (@SherwoodStrauss) September 18, 2024
Woj is one of the best sports reporters, columnist and writers ever to talk the earth. More importantly he’s as nice and supportive of young journalists as anyone in this industry. I can speak to that first hand but so too can dozens of others. As good as it gets. A true legend. https://t.co/8QoK2j3xBX
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) September 18, 2024
Congrats to the GOAT. ♥️
Loved every second of working with you at the Vertical and ESPN and can’t wait to see you crush it in the next step of your journey. https://t.co/1taRaVYecU pic.twitter.com/hqGMaBY1Uj
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) September 18, 2024
An incredible career! Congrats on your next chapter 🙏🏽 https://t.co/O2DP0Q1XOr
— Joy Taylor (@JoyTaylorTalks) September 18, 2024
Interned at ESPN as a college student back in 2018. If there was one person I wanted to meet during my time there— it was Woj.
I’ll never forget connecting with him the day before NBA free agency, convinced
he’d never have time for an intern.Instead, he let me shadow him… pic.twitter.com/mCKWEovIyJ
— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV) September 18, 2024
It’s not hyperbole to say that Woj reshaped an industry. I had the honor of getting to know him when we were at Yahoo and ESPN. No one worked harder. No one set the example better. To be that high atop the mountain and still shout down advice to those climbing it is rare indeed. https://t.co/pvfYmTu2Ig
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) September 18, 2024
An incredible run. All the best to an amazing teammate and friend wherever the next journey takes you 🙌
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 18, 2024
The ripple effect from this Woj news is legitimately impossible to wrap my head around. He’s an entire information economy. Insane.
— Anthony F. Irwin (@AnthonyIrwinLA) September 18, 2024
The insider game is incredibly exhausting. Woj spent hours and hours on his phone every day, sacrificing time with his family and friends to chase scoops. Now, he’ll leave ESPN with millions left on his contract to pursue a different passion. Good for him.
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) September 18, 2024
If Woj thinks his screen time will go down now that he’s out of the scoops game, just wait until he learns about recruiting.
Congrats to one of the best to ever do it @wojespn! https://t.co/vp5rKsmdkc
— Trilly Donovan (@trillydonovan) September 18, 2024
one last Woj Bomb — announcing his own retirement. Woj is the best to ever do it. Best wishes on the next chapter. https://t.co/tu0Y6YCUVu
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 18, 2024
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There were also plenty of reactions to Wojnarowski’s news, given his background in the industry.
There were plenty of jokes made about the legendary insider’s last “Woj Bomb” on Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro, his rival, Shams Charania of The Athletic, not reporting the breaking news, and some of the best moments from Wojnarowski’s career.
Do you realize how stressful Woj’s job must have been that he considers “handling NIL and roster management for a college sports team” to be a relaxing step back
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) September 18, 2024
The funniest timeline would have been Shams scooping Woj’s retirement
— Jeremy Cohen (@TheCohencidence) September 18, 2024
Last Woj bomb was about Issac Okoro im out
— Teg🚨 (@IQfor3) September 18, 2024
This is the greatest insider peak of all time. 2019 offseason Woj was special. pic.twitter.com/QBTGtTJfSd
— Old NBA Tweets (@oldnbatweetz) September 18, 2024
NBA Twitter carrying Woj out of the ESPN offices pic.twitter.com/gDhVTuYxvV
— BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) September 18, 2024
NOTHING topping this. Peak Draft Woj 😭 https://t.co/ClH6sBFHT2 pic.twitter.com/2stQANbAoO
— WarriorsMuse (@WarriorsMuse) September 18, 2024
removing woj’s account from text notification after 22 years: pic.twitter.com/hDC2EDqa4X
— alex (@steven_lebron) September 18, 2024
“Dad? What’s a Woj bomb?” pic.twitter.com/GxnxmDcmzi
— 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒆 🌩 (@Three_Cone) September 18, 2024
