Adrian Wojnarowski left his job as ESPN's NBA Insider earlier this year to become the new general manager of the men's basketball team at his alma mater, St. Bonaventure. In the process, Mr. Woj had his salary cut from $6.5 million a year to $75,000. Why would he do that? Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, a close friend of Woj's, said: We got the inside scoop on one of the best sportswriting articles you'll read this year.
Writing a good feature story is often about how many details you can reveal, and Mannix uncovered a lot of wild details. The biggest one was the revelation that Woj had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in March. Around the same time, former ESPN NFL insider Chris Mortensen passed away from throat cancer. On his way to the funeral in Arkansas, Woj was struck by the number of Mort's former colleagues who were unable to attend. It led to this terrible wisdom that is so good that it is impossible not to emphasize it.
A lot of ESPN visited Arkansas. What struck Woj was how many people don't. “It reminded me that work isn’t everything,” Woj says. “Eventually it's going to be just family and close friends. And it's also something that no one appreciates — no one remembers. [breaking stories] lastly. It's just steam. ”
These are the very nihilistic words Mike Tyson gave to a child reporter before his fight with Jake Paul when it comes to constructing the meaning of life.
Woj is 55 years old and makes far more money than a sportswriter could reasonably dream of. All he wanted at this point in his life was to get time back for himself, his family, and his alma mater. As stressful as Woj's breaking news job was, the idea of helping a mid-major A-10 program compete in the NIL era is no walk in the park. For Woj, there is still love in his work, and that makes all the difference.
After the story broke, Woj sent out the following tweet:
Thank you for your kind words and concern, but I'll be fine. My goal in sharing my prostate cancer diagnosis is to encourage men to get screened and tested. Early diagnosis makes a huge difference for me and many others. https://t.co/7xiGfC5RNw
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 5, 2024
The Bonnies are off to an 8-1 start this season under Mark Schmidt, who has been the head coach since 2007. With Woj serving as his right-hand man, St. Bonaventure men's basketball just got a lot more interesting.
Whether or not the Bonnies ultimately reach March Madness glory, Woj's heart is in the right place. He knows what's really important, even if thinking about it can be a little depressing.
