NBA insider Shams Charania announced on Monday that he’s joining ESPN.
Charania announced his move to the network weeks after his former mentor, rival and longtime NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski stepped down from his role at ESPN to become the general manager for the basketball program at his alma mater St. Bonaventure.
“I am honored to join ESPN as the company’s senior NBA insider,” Charania wrote on social media. “I can’t wait to be part of an incredible group of colleagues at ESPN and serve the sports audience worldwide.”
I am honored to join ESPN as the company’s Senior NBA Insider. I can’t wait to be part of an incredible group of colleagues at ESPN and serve the sports audience worldwide. pic.twitter.com/sBDFGIpkb6
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 7, 2024
Charania is leaving The Athletic to join ESPN. Wojnarowski and Charania previously worked as colleagues at Yahoo Sports, where Wojnarowski mentored Charania.
As rivals, Charania and Wojnarowski were the two leaders in NBA breaking news, and each amassed massive social media followings from fans looking to stay on top of the news as it broke. With Wojnarowski’s retirement from the industry, Charania joins ESPN as the leading voice in basketball breaking news.
ESPN’s MLB insider Jeff Passan was also reportedly a candidate to take over for Wojnarowski. He responded on social media to Charania’s announcement on Monday that “Baseball’s better anyway.”
Wojnarowski announced his decision to leave ESPN for his alma mater on Sept. 18. Wojnarowski graduated from St. Bonaventure in 1991 before embarking on a career in journalism.
“This craft transformed my life, but I’ve decided to retire from ESPN and the news industry,” Wojnarowski wrote on social media. “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.”
The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reported at the time that Wojnarowski was leaving behind a roughly $20 million contract with ESPN. Terms of Charania’s deal with ESPN were not initially reported.