ESPN's top NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski is retiring from “The Worldwide Leader in Sports” and has agreed to become the general manager of the St. Louis men's basketball program. Bonaventure University, announced on social media Wednesday morning. He has worked at ESPN since 2017.
ESPN's top NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski graduated from St. Bonaventure in 1991
Wojnarowski, 55, is a student at St. Bonaventure also has a close relationship with the program, including fundraising for the school's collection in recent years. He is a 1991 graduate of the western New York school and a distinguished alumnus from the Jandoli School of Communication.
“It is the joy of a lifetime to be able to return to the university and community that I love in a role that serves our student-athletes, coaches and facility,” Wojnarowski told ESPN.
“I hope I can bring value to our basketball program in many areas and open doors for the future of our young men both professionally and personally.”
ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro's statement on Adrian Wojnarowski's retirement from ESPN pic.twitter.com/GzQbwTiHlA
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) September 18, 2024
In May 2022, Wojnarowski received an honorary doctorate from St. Bonaventure. He previously worked at Yahoo Sports and The Record of Bergen County (New Jersey), according to his biography.
“I am leaving a dream job at ESPN and am very grateful for my time and experience with the Global Leader,” he added.
Wojnarowski from $20 million
According to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, Adrian Wojnarowski is “going for around $20M.” Marchand also reported that Wojnarowski informed his bosses Jimmy Pitaro and Burke Magnus of his decision to leave ESPN on Wednesday morning.
In addition, the source told Marchand they were “surprised” by the move. Pitaro released a statement saying “we completely understand his decision to change his lifestyle and slow down a bit.”
According to a news release from St. Bonaventure, his role as general manager will have a number of responsibilities, “including opportunities for name, image and likeness (NIL) and communication with collections; portal management; recruiting, family relations and alumni players; programs for professional players; and fundraising for the program.”
Talk about a fresh start, @wojespn!@GoBonnies @BonniesMBB
— St. Bonaventure U (@StBonaventure) September 18, 2024
“In these changing times of college sports, I am eager to join a championship program that combines quality basketball, national television exposure, excellent preparation and NIL opportunities with a close-knit, supportive academic environment,” Adrian Wojnarowski said in the release.
“… I look forward to sharing with members of our community the best practices I've learned from the NBA's most successful franchises and minds and are committed to opening doors around the world for our players on and off the court.”
Wojnarowski's understanding and connection to the league has led him to become one of the best media outlets in any sport. The Bristol, Connecticut native has always been the first to announce the signing or trade of an NBA free agent.
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