ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski has officially retired from the news industry. With his heartfelt exit from the job he always loved, it's kind of hard to look for someone who can replace him.
Long thought of as the best NBA insider, Wojnarowski left the network to become the general manager for St. Bonaventure's men's basketball team. The world now holds its breath to know who will fill the legendary newsbreaker's shoes. One name in the fray is Adam Schefter, ESPN's top NFL insider.
Can Adam Schefter Replace Wojnarowski at ESPN?
According to sources of Front Office Sports, Michael McCarthy reported that one of the strongest applicants who could potentially take the place of Wojnarowski as a senior NBA insider at ESPN is Michael McCarthy, Adam Schefter.
EXCLUSIVE: Adam Schefter could be a candidate to replace Woj as ESPN’s senior NBA insider, FOS has learned.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) September 30, 2024
In this scenario, Schefter would cover both the NFL and NBA as what a source called the "Ultimate Insider."@MMcCarthyREV's column ⬇️
Despite his prominent presence in the NFL scene, Adam Schefter already appeared on some NBA broadcasts as a sideline reporter. This might make him do a job between both the leagues and make him into ESPN's so-called "Ultimate Insider."
Although that change isn't near, there are indications Schefter and ESPN are willing to test the possibility. In that case, Schefter may become eligible for a raise from his current $9 million a year to account for the extra work involved.
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Schefter's Existing NBA Connections
It's not as if Adam Schefter is new to the NBA beat. In fact, he signed a new deal with ESPN earlier this year that includes an option for him to return to the NBA sideline. In terms of fitting in, of course, it would be a natural fit to advance Schefter further into an NBA role, Bleacher Report writes.
Of course, there is risk involved in this decision. Taking the NBA insider position will certainly add much to his already frenzied schedule with the NFL. Still, being the voice of the ESPN NBA show could be just too good an offer to pass on.
Other Contenders That Might Replace Woj
While Schefter would seem to be the front-runner, he's certainly far from the only name in the hunt. Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reported Jeff Passan, ESPN's current MLB insider, is being considered for the job as well. If Passan gets the gig, expect him to stay off baseball going forward and focus exclusively on the NBA.
Shams Charania is another big-name contender for the job. He is simply one of the top NBA newsbreakers in the game, ranking second only to Wojnarowski. Charania currently pens for The Athletic and FanDuel TV, but his contracts are set to run out very soon, which could make him a free agent in sports journalism.
Some other ESPN insiders mentioned in this regard include Ramona Shelburne, Brian Windhorst, and Tim Bontemps, though it remains unclear if these people will fill the gap created by Woj.
Last month, Sports Illustrated reported that ESPN was unlikely to hire someone who could fill the work of Wojnarowski. It was mentioned in the report that ESPN does not need Woj 2.0 to deliver breaking NBA news across the world.
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