Sept. 18 (UPI) — Prominent NBA news breaker Adrian Wojnarowski will retire from ESPN and become general manager of the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball program, he announced Wednesday.
“This craft transformed my life, but I’ve decided to retire from ESPN and the news industry,” Wojnarowski wrote on social media.
“I understand the commitment required in my role, and it’s an investment that I’m no longer driven to make. Time isn’t in endless supply, and I want to spend mine in ways that are more personally meaningful.”
Wojnarowski, 55, graduated from St. Bonaventure, in Bonaventure, N.Y., in 1991. He worked at The Record of Bergen County and Yahoo Sports before joining ESPN in 2017.
“I’m thrilled and humbled to return to St. Bonaventure with an opportunity to serve the university, coach Mark Schmidt and our elite Atlantic 10 men’s basketball program,” Wojnarowski said in a release from St. Bonaventure.
“In these changing times of college sports, I’m eager to join a championship program that combines high-level basketball, national television exposure, pro preparation and NIL [name, image and likeness] opportunities with an intimate, supportive educational environment.”
In his new role, Wojnarowski will assist the coaching staff in managing NIL opportunities and serve as a liaison with collectives, transfer portal management, recruiting and more, according to St. Bonaventure.
“I’ve known and admired Woj since we first worked together at Yahoo in 2007,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said. “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 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.”