After more than seven years as the Senior NBA Insider at ESPN, Adrian Wojnarowski has decided to step away from broadcasting.
ESPN confirmed that Wojnarowski will retire and return to his alma mater, St. Bonaventure, where he will serve as the basketball program’s first-ever general manager.
Wojnarowski’s new role will give him the opportunity to oversee a variety of areas within the basketball program, as he works with coach Mark Schmidt and the rest of the coaching staff.
Wojnarowski will focus on name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities. He will also handle the management of the transfer portal, as well as recruiting and alumni player relationships.
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Adrian Wojnarowski talks to the media before the 2023 NBA Draft on June 22, 2023 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. (Michael J. LeBrecht II/NBAE via Getty Images)
Wojnarowski expressed excitement about his new opportunity.
“I’m thrilled and humbled to return to St. Bonaventure with an opportunity to serve the university,” Wojnarowski said in a statement released by the school. “I’m hopeful to share with members of our community some best practices learned from the most successful franchises and minds in the NBA and committed to opening doors globally for our players both on and off the court.”
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Wojnarowski also took to social media to reflect on his sports media career.
“I grew up the son of a factory worker two miles from ESPN’s campus and only ever dreamed of making a living as a sportswriter,” Wojnarowski wrote in a statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter. “Thirty-seven years ago, the Hartford courant gave me my first byline and I never stopped chasing the thrill of it all.
“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. Time isn’t in endless supply and I want to spend mine in ways that are more personally meaningful.”
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., revealed in 2020 that ESPN’s top NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski sent him a profane message in response to criticism of the league’s relationship with China. (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Wojnarowski graduated from St. Bonaventure with a journalism degree in 1991 and received an honorary doctorate from the school in 2022. The 55-year-old has worked at ESPN since 2017, and his decision to retire came even while he was still under a contract he signed with the Disney-owned media company in 2022.
Wojnarowski was voted the National Sports Media Association’s National Sportswriter of the year over a three-year span from 2017-19.
FILE – St. Bonaventure players huddle in the first half of a National Invitational Tournament basketball game on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, in Boulder, Colorado. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
Schmidt described Wojnarowski’s addition to his staff as a “home run,” adding: “This move is critical to navigate the new landscape of college basketball in NIL, recruiting and retention.
St. Bonaventure is located amid the Allegany Mountains in the southwest corner of New York, about a 90-minute drive south of Buffalo.
The Catholic school, with an enrollment of about 2,000 students, is seeking to capitalize on Wojnarowski’s name recognition, while following other programs that have created the role of GM in the NIL era. He is best known for breaking NBA news with what became known as “Woj Bombs” on social media.
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ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said Wojnarowski will be missed.
While we will miss his daily output, we completely understand his decision to make a lifestyle change and slow down a bit,” Pitaro said in a statement. “We know he will continue to thrive in this next chapter, and he has our collective gratitude and support.”
“First Take” host Stephen A. Smith, who often worked alongside Wojnarowski on “NBA Countdown,” said the colleague’s departure left him “devastated.”
“Devastated! What a loss for us here at ESPN,” Smith wrote on social media. The absolute best in the business, my man @wojespn. I’m gonna miss you, Buddy!”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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