In a move that sent shockwaves through Cattaraugus and McKean Counties, and quite frankly the entire country, ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojarnowski announced his retirement from professional journalism.
That didn’t reverberate much locally, but what St. Bonaventure athletics announced just minutes later, did — Woj, as he’s affectionately called, is coming back to his alma mater, where he will serve as the program’s first General Manager.
Blue-blood programs like Duke and Villanova, recognizing the need for a GM type role in the new NIL era, were some of the first to hire GM’s, Rachel Baker and Baker Dunleavy, respectively.
Since then, many programs, like the Bonnies, have followed suit. You’ll be hard-pressed to find one that carries more name recognition than Woj, who’s been widely regarded as the best NBA reporter in the country for a number of years.
It’s a brave new world in college athletics, and this move by the Bonnies ensures they are ready to compete in it.
The news, obviously, garnered national attention, with many of the nation’s top sports media pundits, including Stephen A. Smith, Colin Cowherd and Christoper “Mad Dog” Russo taking time to talk about it on their respective shows on Wednesday
Here’s just some of what Woj’s colleagues and others throughout the sports world had to say about his new career move via X:
Sports Columnist and fellow St. Bonaventure alum Mike Vaccaro: We’ve been friends for 37 years and it’s always been my great privilege to call him my brother. Not sure I’ve ever been prouder of him than today, ending one remarkable chapter of his career and hitting the ground running on another. Let’s go, @wojespn! #unfurl
CBS Sports College Basketball Insider Jon Rothstein: 24 hours ago, Adrian Wojnarowski was an NBA Insider for ESPN. Today, he’s the GM of St. Bonaventure and will have a hand in whether or not the Atlantic 10 can remain a multi-bid league moving forward. Anarchy? Nope. Just College Basketball.
ESPN College Basketball Insider Jay Bilas: The best to ever do it. No colleague I respect more, and nobody has matched his impact in the business. One thing is certain, all of St. Bonaventure’s decisions will be FULLY INFORMED with Woj at the helm. Congrats Woj, and thank you.
Longtime Saint Joesph’s University men’s basketball coach Phil Martelli: This is a game changer for @A10MBB @wojespn with the brilliance of Mark Schmidt and the unmatched passion of @BonniesMBB fan base. Winter in Olean will become a destination for all hoops fans.
Isaac Okoro, Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward, who become Woj’s last famous ‘Woj bomb’ when his contract extension was announced: Last Woj Bomb #LetEmKnow
ESPN’s Mike Greenberg: No one ever has or ever could do a job in this industry better than our dear friend. Congratulations on one of the great runs of all time, and very best wishes for good luck in this exciting new chapter.
ESPN NBA Countdown and NBA Today host Malika Andrews: Woj is peerless as a reporter: dedicated, competitive and an incredible writer who changed the industry. But to me, he’s the guy who took a chance on a 19-year-old student journalist and believed in me more than I believed in myself. Thank you for everything, Woj. Enjoy retirement — no one deserves it more — and Go Bonnies!
NBA official X Account: The NBA family congratulates Woj on a well-earned next chapter. 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.
Sports Illustrated NBA Senior Writer Chris Mannix: Thrilled for @wojespn, who is as good a person as he is a reporter. And he’s right — time is finite. He has an incredible family and a deep passion for St. Bonaventure. Now he gets to spend more time around both.
