Shams Charania has confirmed what many have speculated in recent weeks: he will succeed Adrian Wojnarowski as ESPN’s senior NBA insider.
Charania, who spent the previous six years at The Athletic after making a name for himself at Yahoo! Sports, announced the news on social networks.
“I am honored to join ESPN as the company’s Senior NBA Insider,” he wrote. “I can’t wait to be part of an incredible group of colleagues at ESPN and serve sports audiences around the world.”
He concluded his statement “Being a member of ESPN is a dream come true. The routine continues.’
Charania, 30, has established himself as one of the NBA’s top news breakers and frequently rivaled his former boss Wojnarowski for scoops during the latter’s time at ESPN.
Shams Charania has been confirmed as ESPN’s new NBA Insider following the departure of Adrian Wojnarowski
‘Woj’ announced in September that he was retiring from journalism and leaving ESPN
Charania previously worked with Wojnarowski at Yahoo!.
Charania’s hiring comes after Wojnarowski surprisingly announced he was retiring from journalism on September 18.
He left his position at ESPN to become the general manager of the men’s basketball program at St. Bonaventure, his alma mater.
‘Woj,’ as he was affectionately called by his ESPN colleagues, was believed to earn $7 million per year as ESPN’s top NBA scooper.
The Athletic It previously reported that the network’s Jeff Passan, who is an MLB insider, had emerged as a candidate to change pace and replace his friend Wojnarowski.
However, that didn’t come to fruition and on Monday Passan posted the iconic ‘I’m not leaving’ scene from Wolf of Wall Street after the Charania news broke.
He then added: “Baseball is better anyway.”
Reception sports It also reported earlier this month that ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter could become the “ultimate insider” and add NBA reporting duties in addition to his current role in football.
Charania’s move also follows the ouster of popular NBA writer and analyst Zach Lowe from the network.
Lowe was earning more than $1 million before he was fired, according to The Athletic.
More to follow