An Awful Announcing rendering of ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and his alma mater, St. Bonaventure University. An Awful Announcing rendering of ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and his alma mater, St. Bonaventure University.
ESPNNBABy Sam Neumann on

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.”

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.”

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:

There were also some live reactions that happened as Woj took to social media to announce his major career move:

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.

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.

View all posts by Sam Neumann