The departure of Adrian Wojnarowski from ESPN in 2024 was a major shock in the sports world, but his pay cut as general manager of the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball program might be even more surprising. According to a recent profile in the New York Times Magazine by writer Bruce Schoenfeld, Wojnarowski now earns a mere $75,000, just 1 percent of his previous salary as a senior NBA insider for the worldwide leader, while still working tirelessly to uncover basketball news.
Though his announcement and the subsequent coverage emphasized his health challenges, including a prostate cancer diagnosis, and his pursuit of more meaningful work, the new profile reveals his deeper motivations. Wojnarowski highlighted the crucial role of the men’s basketball program for the university’s financial future and the pressures he faces to maintain a competitive team amid a diminishing clock.
He acknowledges that while his NBA connections—like Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri and New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau—could open doors for NIL and recruiting opportunities, he only expects this advantage to last for five years before it diminishes.
From Schoenfeld’s piece in the NYT Magazine:
“When he is asked why he would walk away from $20 million still left on his ESPN contract to spend his days driving through the snow to half-empty arenas, this is what he tries to explain. A reporter his entire adult life, he has immersed himself in other people’s teams. St. Bonaventure basketball is his team. And as the ground continues to shift beneath college sports, perhaps only he can save it.”
Wojnarowski has essentially redefined the role of the modern sports insider, centered on delivering real-time news across television and social media. Leaving behind that lucrative role was not a simple decision, considering the significant salary it afforded him. Yet, for Wojnarowski, the chance to positively influence the university and community he cherishes through the sport he excelled in was compelling enough to make the leap.
