The sports world received its last WojBomb on Wednesday with the news that ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski is leaving to take over as general manager of the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball program.
The news surprised everyone with the NBA season getting underway next month. The 55-year-old Wojnarowski had been with ESPN since 2017. Prior to working with the “Worldwide Leader,” he worked for Yahoo Sports and The Record of Bergen County newspaper in New Jersey.
The NBA family congratulates Woj on a well-earned next chapter. He’s been an integral part of our league for decades and we wish him all the best in his new venture. Sources close to the situation say that his future is bright. pic.twitter.com/csGFOOEKtP
— NBA (@NBA) September 18, 2024
Those inside and outside of the sports media world reacted to the stunning news following Wojnarowski’s announcement.
Isaac Okoro
The last piece of breaking NBA news that Wojnarowski posted on social media was the three-year, $38 million extension signed by Okoro with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Stephen A. Smith
Stephen A. Smith reacts to the news of Adrian Wojnarowski’s sudden retirement from ESPN.
“I’m happy for him, but I’m sad for us as a network because it’s a devastating loss for us to not have him.” pic.com/m6jBieq5tG
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 18, 2024
Wojnarowski appeared on ESPN’s “NBA Countdown” with Stephen A. “He the best in the business. He’s the best in the business — make no mistake about it.”
Adam Schefter
The NFL insider knows exactly the kind of life that Wojnarowski has lived since becoming the NBA’s premier scoopster.
.@AdamSchefter on Adrian Wojnarowski’s retirement:
“It takes over your life. You can’t kind of do the job, you have to live the job, and he was done living the job. … Now he gets to do what he wants, which is exactly how it should be.” pic.com/INlIrXLJvr
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 18, 2024
Jeff Passan
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
Passan, an ESPN baseball writer, worked with Wojnarowski at both Yahoo Sports and ESPN.
Dan Wetzel
Adrian Wojnarowski retired as the NBA’s most competitive sports reporter. Rather than join a NBA front office or high major college program, he will serve as GM at his alma mater, St. Bonaventure, and try to lead the Bonnies back to NCAA tournament. https://t.co/iiiOCF9Swe
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) September 18, 2024
With his contacts and experience, if Wojnarowski wanted to leave journalism for the competitive side of the business, he could have easily joined a sports agency or a NBA front office. At least one other major college program, upon hearing rumors of Woj’s move, offered him a similar spot with them and the lure of trying to win a national title.
Instead he took the freedom provided from making enough money that he didn’t need anymore money to go create his dream job. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Wetzel was a colleague of Wojnarowski during Woj’s time at Yahoo Sports.