Why did Adrian Wojnarowski retire? Legendary NBA reporter stunningly steps away from ESPN
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski dropped his final “Woj bomb” on Wednesday morning.
The legendary NBA reporter announced his retirement after 37 years in the news industry, stepping away for a new opportunity with “overwhelming gratitude” to his colleagues and readers.
Following the NBA in the 21st century effectively required paying attention to Wojnarowski, whether on social media or on ESPN since he joined the network in 2017. He’s broken countless transactions, coaching changes and more, from some that altered the landscape of the league to others that barely created a ripple.Â
Now, he’s stepping away.
Here’s what you need to know about why Wojnarowski is retiring from reporting.
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Why is Adrian Wojnarowski retiring?Wojnarowski announced Wednesday that he is retiring, explaining, “I understand the commitment required in my role and it’s an investment that I’m no longer driven to make.”
The 55-year-old teased his next role at the end of his announcement, saying, “After all these years reporting on everyone’s team, I’m headed back to my own.”
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— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 18, 2024That team, according to his colleague Jeff Passan, is the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball program. Wojnarowski is taking over as the general manager for the Bonnies, who are coached by Mark Schmidt. Wojnarowski is an alum of St. Bonaventure and has publicly cheered on the program throughout his career.
St. Bonaventure confirmed the news shortly after Wojnarowski’s announcement.
— St. Bonaventure Athletics (@GoBonnies) September 18, 2024The NIL era of college basketball has greatly increased roster turnover, forcing many programs to rebuild large portions of their roster in the transfer portal each spring. That has led some teams to create a general manager role rather than forcing those duties onto the head coach, and Wojnarowski will now have a hand in putting the Bonnies’ roster together going forward.
ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro reacted to the news on Wednesday, calling Wojnarowski “talented and fearless” with a work ethic that is “second to none.”
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, 2024Reactions from plenty of other colleagues poured in after the announcement, including tributes from Adam Schefter and Dianna Russini.Â
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How old is Adrian Wojnarowski?Wojnarowski is 55 years old. He’s set to turn 56 in March.Â
The longtime reporter is still fairly young for the job, which made it so surprising that he would step away while at the pinnacle of the NBA insider world. At the same time, it’s a job that requires serious commitment as Wojnarowski alluded to in his announcement.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania, a former colleague turned competitor of Wojnarowski, said in 2023 that he spends about 19 hours each day on his phone during the height of NBA free agency. Even if 19 hours of screen time isn’t the norm, it’s still a job that required Wojnarowski to constantly stay plugged in.
Adrian Wojnarowski salaryWojnarowski made about $7 million per year on his most recent ESPN contract, according to The Athletic. By retiring, he’s walking away from about $20 million left on his deal,
Wojnarowski’s new salary at St. Bonaventure isn’t known, but it’s almost certainly a fraction of what he was making at ESPN. Schmidt, the Bonnies’ head coach, reportedly makes about $1.8 million per year after the program matched an offer from UMass in 2022.Â
With the GM role almost certainly paying even less than that, Wojnarowski is making it clear he’s not in it for money at this point in his esteemed career.
