Admin September 18, 2024
Adrian Wojnarowski dropped the biggest Woj Bomb of them all on Wednesday.
The longtime NBA insider announced that he would be leaving the industry in a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter). Having worked at ESPN for the past seven years following stops at Yahoo Sports and the Hartford Courant, Wojnarowski wrote, “I understand the commitment required in my role, and it’s an investment I’m no longer driven to make.”
-30- pic.twitter.com/bFeFL61s1c
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 18, 2024
Instead, Wojnarowski will invest in his alma mater — St. Bonaventure University — where he has accepted a role as the men’s basketball general manager. This role includes Name, Image, and Likeness allocation, recruiting and supporting Bonnies head coach Mark Schmidt.
Earlier this year, he pledged $50K to the program’s NIL collective.
The latter part was reported in conjunction with all of ESPN’s news-breakers tweeting it out, whether it be Adam Schefter, Jeff Passan, or Pete Thamel. ESPN itself reacted in a statement from chairman Jimmy Pitaro, who wrote Wednesday: “I’ve known and admired Woj since we worked together at Yahoo! in 2007. His work ethic is second to none. He’s extraordinarily talented and fearless. He has led the industry at ESPN, and his dedication to the craft and to the fans is legendary.
“While we will miss his daily output, we completely understand his decision to make a lifestyle change and slow down a bit. We know he will continue to thrive in his next chapter, and he has our collective gratitude and support.”
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
Pitaro’s sentiment was just scratching the surface of how the sports media at large handled Wednesday’s announcement.
Here are some of those reactions:
Congrats on one of hell of a career where you were the center of the NBA reporting world and caused a lot of sleepless nights for reporters.
And thank you for being there for me as a friend and for my @IUMediaSchool students as a guest speaker throughout the past few years. https://t.co/ehohJowu5D
— Mike Wells (@MikeWellsNFL) September 18, 2024
No one ever has or ever could do a job in this industry better than our dear friend. Congratulations on one of the great runs of all time, and very best wishes for good luck in this exciting new chapter.
💣💣💣💣 https://t.co/6DF5ncTQLq— Mike Greenberg (@Espngreeny) September 18, 2024
Now that’s a breaking story no one saw coming…Good on @wojespn for doing it his way https://t.co/tw1x8moZcS
— Matt Winer (@MattWinerTV) 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
Respect ✊ good luck Woj. https://t.co/XvjnBp4iwn
— Colin Cowherd (@colincowherd) September 18, 2024
When I was a college senior, I got a phone call on a weeknight out of the blue: It was @wojespn. He had received my clips, read them, and wanted to provide guidance and advice.
He talked to me for over 2 hours. He kept in touch and continued be a mentor.
As real as they get. https://t.co/IuxroJDjCs
— Brendan Prunty (@BrendanPrunty) 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
Congratulations to Woj on a truly remarkable run. We go way back to his days as a UConn beat writer, when he was just starting to rise in the biz. His drive was always equal to that of Jordan, Brady, and Tiger, and he retires right next to them on the mountaintop. Unreal. https://t.co/bmXuPHVy8D
— Ian O’Connor (@Ian_OConnor) 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
goodbye sweet prince https://t.co/lVCHAzfYx9 pic.twitter.com/zVvfSFayyN
— Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) September 18, 2024
Atomic Bomb. I’m happy Woj is getting out. It’s a constant weight. Now the good living starts. https://t.co/F3yyg06rqX
— BucciOT.Com (@Buccigross) September 18, 2024
The best to ever do it starts a new journey while still on top. You’re the Barry Sanders of Insiders. Much love @wojespn. Really happy for you and your family. https://t.co/IgvpWQeurn
— Kevin Negandhi (@KevinNegandhi) September 18, 2024
Congrats @wojespn! Now you know what this means…more time for some Springsteen Shows! Great to see ya a few weeks ago in Philly. 🐐 https://t.co/sZM1UswnXE pic.twitter.com/KFiJavGMYI
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) September 18, 2024
“I understand the commitment required in my role and it’s an investment that I’m no longer driven to make.” Congrats to @wojespn on a remarkable run as a writer and newsbreaker. That’s a loooong time to be on call for what always seemed like 24-7-365. https://t.co/qPKx8LCCjK
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) September 18, 2024
The last Woj bomb. https://t.co/nzQQa4Gw54 pic.twitter.com/lhbxUl35OZ
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) September 18, 2024
What a statement. What a career. Legend. https://t.co/rXDP8U74Me
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 18, 2024
There were also some live reactions that happened as Woj took to social media to announce his major career move:
We have @Espngreeny and @PaulHembo reacting live now on ESPN Radio to the retirement of @wojespn https://t.co/Ap5tGhZTSA pic.twitter.com/rOfNlhRpQS
— ESPN Radio (@ESPNRadio) September 18, 2024
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.twitter.com/m6jBieq5tG
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 18, 2024
Wojnarowski’s decision marks the end of an era, not just for ESPN but for the entire sports media landscape. For over two decades, his relentless pursuit of stories, precision in reporting, and industry dominance set a gold standard for not just NBA journalism but sports journalism as a whole.
His transition into a new role at St. Bonaventure is fitting, as he now shifts focus from breaking news to shaping the future of the sport he has so passionately covered.
As the tributes continue to pour in, one thing is clear: The sports world won’t quite be the same without the constant Woj Bombs. But as he steps away from the national spotlight, Woj leaves behind a legacy that will be hard to match.
