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ESPN hires replacement for Adrian Wojnarowski

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Oct 7, 2024 2:31 PM ET

ESPN has its replacement for NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, and it moved toward the obvious choice.

Shams Charania has agreed to join ESPN as the new NBA insider, he confirmed Monday. Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports had previously reported that the two sides were in talks and close to an agreement.

McCarthy added that top ESPN personality Pat McAfee had been a strong backer of Charania and had publicly urged the network to make the hire. This had at least somewhat influenced top ESPN executives, suggesting that McAfee has some level of influence at the network.

I am honored to join ESPN as the company’s Senior NBA Insider. I can’t wait to be part of an incredible group of colleagues at ESPN and serve the sports audience worldwide. pic.twitter.com/sBDFGIpkb6

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 7, 2024

Charania was always the most obvious choice for ESPN after Wojnarowski announced his surprising retirement last month. While the two were rivals on the beat, Charania is essentially the only reporter out there who could consistently match Wojnarowski on the breaking news front.

ESPN reportedly considered some highly unorthodox options to replace Wojnarowski. Ultimately, it went the more straightforward route.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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