Final Woj bomb: Adrian Wojnarowski retires from ESPN to take St. Bonaventure basketball GM job

LOS ANGELES — The one that broke a lot NBA information that his scoops earned a pithy nickname introduced on X on Tuesday that he’s leaving ESPN and retiring from sports activities journalism to grow to be normal supervisor of the boys’s basketball program at his alma mater, St. Bonaventure College.

Adrian Wojnarowski, recognized merely as Woj, littered the hoops panorama with “Woj bombs,” breaking information that he reported first, precisely and with context.

Wojnarowski, 55, was employed by ESPN in 2017 after rising as a must-read information hound and columnist at Yahoo Sports activities in 2007. He beforehand labored on the Document of Bergen County, N.J.

In keeping with the Athletic, Wojnarowski makes about $7 million a 12 months at ESPN and has three years left on his contract, which means he’s leaving about $20 million on the desk. The common wage for a normal supervisor at a Division 1 college is between $130,020 and $172,958, in accordance with Salaries.com.

A successor to Wojnarowski has not been named, though Shams Charania and Chris Haynes are the obvious selections.

Charania, 30, broke into the enterprise at Yahoo Sports activities below Wojnarowski, and his contracts with the Athletic, Stadium and FanDuel expire quickly. Haynes, 42, has left TNT, whose dad or mum firm Warner Bros. Discovery is in litigation with the NBA. ESPN stalwart Pat McAfee mentioned on the air Wednesday that Charania must be the front-runner.

Wojnarowski’s final Woj bomb was about himself.

“I’m thrilled and humbled to return to St. Bonaventure with a chance to serve the college, Coach Mark Schmidt and our elite Atlantic 10 males’s basketball program,” Wojnarowski mentioned in a information launch from the varsity. “In these altering instances of faculty sports activities, I’m keen to hitch a championship program that mixes high-level basketball, nationwide tv publicity, professional preparation and NIL alternatives with an intimate, supportive academic surroundings.”

The position of a normal supervisor at college athletics applications has grow to be more and more vital within the period of identify, picture and likeness alternatives. Along with fundraising and aiding with alumni relations, Wojnarowski will work with NIL collectives and assist handle the switch portal.

Wojnarowski is a St. Bonaventure alumnus (class of 1991) and has maintained a powerful relationship with the basketball program and Jandoli College of Communication. He and his spouse, Amy, met as St. Bonaventure undergraduates.

“I’m hopeful to share with members of our neighborhood some finest practices discovered from essentially the most profitable franchises and minds within the NBA and dedicated to opening doorways globally for our gamers each on and off the courtroom,” Wojnarowski mentioned.

Bob Beretta, St. Bonaventure vice chairman and director of Intercollegiate Athletics, welcomed Wojnarowski with open arms.

“At a time of super turbulence inside the intercollegiate athletics enterprise, we’re making a powerful assertion that St. Bonaventure continues to be on the forefront of change,” Beretta mentioned in an announcement. “This can be a daring transfer that aligns with our institutional targets to proceed to develop and flourish.”

St. Bonaventure has certified for the NCAA Match thrice since 2012 and final season went 20-13.

Wojnarowski labored at Yahoo Sports activities from 2007 to 2015, starting as an NBA columnist till ultimately serving to launch Yahoo’s standalone NBA web site, the Vertical, and serving as its editor.

“Woj is the right particular person to fill this new position, combining his intimate information of St. Bonaventure and our Franciscan values with a deep community of relationships he has constructed throughout the worlds {of professional} and intercollegiate basketball,” Beretta mentioned. “The truth that the preeminent journalist in his subject is keen to stroll away from a profitable media profession to serve his alma mater in a assist position is a testomony to his love and fervour for Bona’s.”

Jimmy Pitaro, chairman at ESPN, mentioned on X that Wojnarowski’s “work ethic is second to none. He’s terribly proficient and fearless. He has led the trade at ESPN, and his dedication to the craft and to followers is known.

“Whereas we are going to miss his every day output, we fully perceive his choice to make a life-style change and decelerate a bit. We all know he’ll proceed to thrive on this subsequent chapter, and he has our collective gratitude and assist.”

The NBA issued an announcement that ended with a playful nod to Wojnarowski’s multitude of sources inside the league.

“The NBA household congratulates Woj on a well-earned subsequent chapter,” the NBA mentioned on X. “He’s been an integral a part of our league for many years and we want him all the perfect in his new enterprise.

“Sources near the scenario say that his future is vibrant.”