The Walt Disney Company says its senior National Basketball Association (NBA) insider Adrian Wojnarowski will be retiring from sports network ESPN.
Upon his departure from the cable sports brand, Wojnarowski will become the general manager of the men’s basketball team at his alma mater, St. Bonaventure, where he has helped fundraise for the school and its team over the past few years.
At St. Bonaventure, Wojnarowski will help liaison between the school and its athletes, and brand sponsors who seek to use the name, likeness and image of the teams to their benefit.
"He wanted his life back. He didn't want to have to work on holidays. He didn't want to be away from more family gatherings. He didn't want to have to…take a shower with your phone up against the shower door so you can see a text that's coming in, or take your phone with you to… pic.twitter.com/mfSavmOKTi
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 18, 2024
Wojnarowski had around three years left on his contract at ESPN and Disney, according to people familiar with the matter. He was earning around $7 million per year, they said, noting that his decision to retire means he’s walking away from around $21 million in guaranteed salary.
“I understand the commitment required in my role, and it’s an investment that I’m no longer driven to make,” Wojnarowski wrote on social media. “Time isn’t in endless supply, and I want to spend mine in ways that are more personally meaningful.”
Wojnarowski joined ESPN in 2017 from Yahoo Sports, where he covered the NBA and other sports-related news. At ESPN, he helped break consequential news about the league, its teams and its players on a regular basis, often coming ahead of local TV and newspaper reporters in the markets where the teams play.
“The NBA family congratulates Woj on a well-earned next chapter,” a spokesperson for the NBA said in a statement posted to social media. “He’s been an integral part of our league for decades, and we wish him all the best in his new venture. Sources close to the situation say that his future is bright.”
