Adrian Wojnarowski left his ESPN NBA insider job earlier this year to take a gig as the brand new basic supervisor for the lads’s basketball group at his alma mater, St. Bonaventure. Within the course of, Woj took a pay minimize from the $6.5 million per yr to $75K. Why would he do it? Sports activities Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, an in depth good friend of Woj, got the inside scoop in one of the best pieces of sportswriting you will read this year.
Nice characteristic writing typically comes right down to what number of particulars you’ll be able to uncover, and Mannix obtained a bunch of untamed ones. The largest was the revelation that Woj was identified with prostate most cancers in March. Across the identical time, former ESPN NFL insider Chris Mortensen handed away from throat most cancers. As Woj traveled to his funeral in Arkansas, he was struck by the variety of Mort’s former colleagues who didn’t make it. It led to this grim little bit of knowledge that’s too good to not spotlight.
Many ESPNers made the journey to Arkansas. What Woj was struck by was what number of didn’t. “It made me do not forget that the job isn’t all the things,” Woj says. “Ultimately it’s simply going to be your loved ones and shut buddies. And it’s additionally, like, no one offers a s—. No person remembers [breaking stories] ultimately. It’s simply vapor.”
That is proper up there with Mike Tyson’s nihilist quotes to a child reporter forward of his Jake Paul battle in the case of framing the which means of life.
Woj is 55 years previous, and has made a lot more cash than any sportswriter can moderately dream of. What he needed at this level of his life was to get a while again for himself, for his household, and for his alma mater. For as nerve-racking as Woj’s newsbreaking job was, the concept of serving to a middling A-10 program compete within the NIL period certain doesn’t sound like a stroll within the park. For Woj, there’s nonetheless love in his work, and that makes all of the distinction.
Woj despatched out this tweet after the story went viral:
Recognize all the sort phrases and concern however I’m going to be wonderful. My purpose in sharing a prostate most cancers prognosis is to encourage screening and testing amongst males. Early prognosis will make all of the distinction for me —- and plenty of others too. https://t.co/7xiGfC5RNw
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 5, 2024
The Bonnies are off to an 8-1 begin this season below head coach Mark Schmidt, who has been put in since 2007. With Woj now serving as his proper hand man, St. Bonaventure males’s basketball simply grew to become much more attention-grabbing.
Whether or not the Bonnies ultimately discover March Insanity glory or not, Woj’s coronary heart is in the suitable place. He is aware of what actually issues, even when it is perhaps just a little bit miserable to think about.
