Adrian Wojnarowski, the longtime NBA insider who's alerts kept fans, players and anyone involved in professional basketball on their toes for years, dropped his biggest "Woj Bomb" of his career Tuesday.
It was on himself. Or, maybe it was on us.
ESPN's czar of scoops announced his retirement from the sports journalism and news-breaking industry on social media, sending immediate shockwaves through the entire NBA community.
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— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 18, 2024
"This craft transformed my life, but I've decided to retire from ESPN and the news industry," Wojnarowski wrote. "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 is returning to his alma mater of St. Bonaventure to serve as the general manager of the Bonnies' men's basketball program.
"After all these years reporting on everyone else's team, I'm headed back to my own," Wojnarowski's retirement statement read.
With that in mind and the search for a replacement ongoing, let's revisit some of the biggest scoops Wojnarowski uncovered. Let's just say the next person in line to succeed Woj had big shoes to fill.
As the impacts of COVID-19 were in the beginning stages of taking its toll on America, Wojnarowski's news of the NBA's season stoppage was a true "where were you when" moment. It transcended NBA Twitter – it was national news of one of the most powerful, influential leagues in the world, hurling toward a playoff race, stopping in its tracks due to the severity of the threat posed by the virus.
The NBA has suspended the season.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 12, 2020
The next morning, it was on:
Jazz star Donovan Mitchell has tested positive for the coronavirus, league sources tell ESPN. Jazz players privately say that Rudy Gobert had been careless in the locker room touching other players and their belongings. Now a Jazz teammate has tested positive.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 12, 2020
It would be months before the season would eventually resume inside Walt Disney World at the ESPN Wide World of Sports, taking place inside a bio-secure bubble.
Twenty-two of the 30 NBA teams – all who hadn't been eliminated from playoff contention before the stoppage – were invited to participate, and games were held behind closed doors with no fans. Teams stayed at Disney World hotels had strict limitations on what they were able to do inside.
So the NBA's inviting 22 teams to Orlando: 13 Western Conference, 9 Eastern Conference. Eight-regular season games per team. Play-in for the 8th seeds. July 31-October 12. Vote tomorrow to ratify.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 3, 2020
The NBA's back.
It was a $190 million project, but according to Wojnarowski, the bubble recouped $1.5 billion in revenue that would've otherwise been lost.
Sources: The NBA bubble in Orlando recouped $1.5B in revenue that would've been lost without restarting the season. Expenses for the bubble were $190M -- $10M more than originally estimated. https://t.co/LxEDLoprot
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 28, 2020
The 2019 offseason completely turned on its head in a single minute. All of a sudden, the Los Angeles Clippers had arrived.
Free agent forward Kawhi Leonard has informed runners-up teams of his plans: He's signing with the Clippers, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2019
Oklahoma City is trading All-Star Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers for a record-setting collection of draft choices, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2019
Leonard was now a two-time NBA champion, fresh off winning the title with the Toronto Raptors in his lone season there. George had just finished his second season in Oklahoma City, and had signed a four-year max deal in the offseason before to stay with the Thunder – a deal originally thought to be a one-year rental.
But when Leonard, one of the biggest fishes on the market that summer, made it clear to the Clippers that he wanted to costar with George in LA, all sides involved moved to make a deal happen.
Kawhi Leonard has been recruiting Paul George to find a way to get to the Clippers and LA pulled it off tonight: George goes to the Clippers with Leonard, and together they walk into Staples Center to go head-to-head with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2019
After Leonard pushed George to find a way to get to the Clippers, Paul George approached the team and requested a trade, league sources tell ESPN. OKC was left with no choice and made the best out of a difficult situation, per sources.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2019
In the end, Kawhi Leonard didn't want to construct a Super Team with the Lakers. He wanted a co-star across the Staples corridor with the Clippers, and made it clear to Steve Ballmer and Lawrence Frank: Get PG, and I'm coming.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2019
With George departing to Philadelphia this summer, the duo never accomplished the ultimate goal of winning an NBA championship and taking over the city of Los Angeles from the Lakers. But the player movement was evidence of the balance of power within the NBA and how stars could take control of situations to best suit themselves.
The events that unfolded that evening, in such quick succession, will be unrivaled for a long time.
LeBron James has agreed to 4-year, $154M deal with Lakers, Klutch Sports says.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2018
A move that signified the end of the second Cleveland era of James' career, LeBron's move to LA was as blockbuster as Los Angeles could ever be. Less than a year later, the Lakers kept going:
The Pelicans have agreed to a deal to trade Anthony Davis to the Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three first-round picks – including the No. 4 overall in 2019 Draft, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 15, 2019
The 2019 NBA offseason was something else.
Before free agency began, LeBron James had his new star teammate – the Lakers pulling the trigger on a trade that dealt Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first rounders to the New Orleans Pelicans for Anthony Davis.
In their first year together, Los Angeles would get an immediate return on its investment, winning the NBA title inside the bubble.
Brooklyn is making a clean sweep tonight: Brooklyn will sign Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2019
The duo of Irving and Durant signed with Brooklyn as the franchise made an all-in push to win the East and claim New York as its own. Later adding James Harden to the mix via trade, that big three also fell short of its ultimate goals. But seldom does so much individual talent combine together on one team, regardless of fit.
Wojnarowski unveils that NBA owners pushed David Stern to veto the trade of Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers:
Jazz star Donovan Mitchell has tested positive for the coronavirus, league sources tell ESPN. Jazz players privately say that Rudy Gobert had been careless in the locker room touching other players and their belongings. Now a Jazz teammate has tested positive.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 12, 2020
Damian Lillard traded to Milwaukee:
BREAKING: The Portland Trail Blazers are trading guard Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/FRgQyDVjQG
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 27, 2023
Donovan Mitchell goes to Cleveland from Utah:
The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired Donovan Mitchell in a trade, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 1, 2022
Russell Westbrook is dealt from Oklahoma City to Houston, just days after Paul George's departure:
The Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed to trade Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets for Chris Paul, first-round picks in 2024 and 2026, pick swaps in 2021 and 2025, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 12, 2019
Wojnarowski confirms the death of Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash:
Kobe Bryant is among those dead in a helicopter crash outside Los Angeles, a source confirms to ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 26, 2020
The NBA bans Donald Sterling for life:
The NBA will ban Donald Sterling for life, source tells Yahoo Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 29, 2014
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