Former NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski breaks silence on family's sacrifices for him: "I got to be selfish"
Just before the NBA season began, Adrian Wojnarowski shocked the basketball community when he announced his retirement from ESPN. Months removed from the decision, the longtime journalist opened up on the tolls the job took on his personal life.
During his time at ESPN, Wojnarowski was arguably the biggest newsbreaker in sports journalism. While this allowed him to excel in his career, it impacted other areas of his life. Most notably, quality time with family and loved ones.
While speaking with the Toronto Star, Adrian Wojnarowski talked about the sacrifices that came with having a job like his. He also explained how his family, not him, had to alter their expectations so he could succeed at the highest level.
"My wife and family sacrificed. I didn’t sacrifice," Wojnarowksi said. "I got to be selfish in my pursuit of doing the craft at a high level or a competitive level. They were the ones who sacrificed."
"I got really lucky. But it got really big, the whole thing.”
Not long after stepping away from ESPN, Wojnarowski announced the next journey in his career. He has since returned to his alma mater, St. Bonaventure, to be the general manager of the school's basketball program. Among his main duties are dealing with the transfer portal and securing NIL deals.
Adrian Wojnarowski has no regrets after retiring from ESPN
Later on in the interview, Adrian Wojnarowski got to talking about his future with St. Bonaventure and its basketball programs. Knowing that there is a long road of ups and downs ahead, he still hasn't had second thoughts about leaving ESPN.
“Look, you’re gonna have ups and downs, you’re gonna win games, and I’m sure we’ll lose some more this year too,” Wojnarowski says. “But days like that, for me, make this worthwhile. It doesn’t get better than that. I’ve not looked back for a minute and said, ‘Hey, I wish I was still doing something else.’ That thought hasn’t occurred to me. I love it. I love it.”
Woj appears more than content with the career path he now finds himself on. The better work-life balance is likely one of the biggest positives, allowing him to make up for lost time with his family and friends.
Stepping away from news breaking also allows Adrian Wojnarowski to focus on another important facet of life, his health. During an interview with Sports Illustrated after his retirement, the longtime reporter announced that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The decision to step away was shocking and upsetting to many, but Woj seemed more than ready to start this new chapter of his life.