Adrian Wojnarowski is usually breaking news, but he made some news of his own on Wednesday.
The ESPN senior NBA insider known for dropping massive news affectionately known as “Woj Bombs” is retiring from ESPN to become the general manager of the men’s basketball program at St. Bonaventure, he announced.
Wojnarowski, a St. Bonaventure alum who has publicly supported the program for years, revealed the news on social media.
He said he leaves ESPN with “overwhelming gratitude for countless mentors and colleagues, subjects and stories, readers and viewers.”
He began working at the network in 2017 and has become the go-to source for breaking news about the NBA. He explained the reason for his career change in the statement.
“This craft transformed my life…,” he wrote. “I understand the commitment required in my role and it’s an investment that I’m no longer driven to make. Time isn’t in endless supply and I want to spend mine in ways that are more personally meaningful.”
St. Bonaventure, a small, private school in New York, also announced the addition of the 55-year-old Wojnarowski on Wednesday.
It said Wojnarowski will serve the coaching staff in managing a wide range of responsibilities including name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities and as a liaison with collectives, transfer portal management, recruit, family and alumni player relationships, professional player programs and program fundraising.
Basketball coach Mark Schmidt called the hire a “home run” amid the changing times of college sports.
“This move is critical to navigate the new landscape of college basketball in NIL, recruiting and retention,” Schmidt, the winningest men’s basketball coach in school history said. “Woj is as connected as anyone in the basketball world and his decades-long network of relationships can only help our program remain among the top teams in the Atlantic 10 going forward.”
Wojnarowski and his wife, Amy, graduated from the school in 1991. They have been major benefactors to the basketball program and the Jandoli School of Communication.
Prior to his work for ESPN, Wojnarowski worked for Yahoo Sports for nearly 10 years. He was been voted the National Sports Media Association’s National Sportswriter of the Year in 2017, 2018 and 2019.