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One of the most recognizable names in the NBA is stepping away from the league for good.
On Wednesday, top NBA insider and ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski took to X to announce he is retiring from journalism.
“This craft transformed my life, but I’ve decided to retire from ESPN and the news industry. I understand the commitment required in my role and it’s an investment that I’m no longer driven to make.
After all these years of reporting on everyone’s teams, I’m headed back to my own.”
Wojnarowski will return to his alma mater, St. Bonaventure University, to become the general manager of the men’s college basketball program.
According to The Athletic, Wojnarowski is leaving $20 million on the table as he walks away from his role with ESPN with three years remaining on his contract.
ESPN will reportedly target The Athletic‘s Shams Charania and Bleacher Report‘s Chris Haynes to replace Wojnarowski, according to Front Office Sports‘ Michael McCarthy.
“My sources tell me ESPN will likely talk to Shams Charania, Wojanrowski’s former Yahoo Sports protégé, and former ESPNer Chris Haynes. Both are pending free agents, according to the New York Post. The 30-year-old Charania’s deals with The Athletic, Stadium, and FanDuel are all up. Ditto for the 42-year-old Haynes, who has plenty of on-camera experience.”
Wojnarowski dominated NBA reporting for over a decade
Wojnarowski began his journalism career with the Hartford Courant as a high school senior. After finishing college, he moved to The Record in New Jersey, winning Columnist of the Year on two occasions, voted on by the Associated Press.
In 2006, he published The Miracle of St. Anthony: A Season With Coach Bob Hurley and Basketball’s Most Improbable Dynasty, a New York Times best-seller.
Wojnarowski joined Yahoo! Sports in 2007 and quickly became the most reliable insider in the NBA, routinely getting scoops on trades and draft picks before anyone else and sharing them on Twitter (now X). His scoops became known as “Woj Bombs”.
The 55-year-old moved to ESPN in July 2017, and has since dominated professional basketball coverage, alongside The Athletic‘s Shams Charania.
