Shams Charania has confirmed what many have speculated in recent weeks: he will succeed Adrian Wojnarowski as ESPN’s senior NBA insider.
Charania, who has spent the last six years at The Athletic after making his name at Yahoo! Sports announced the news on social media.
“I am honored to join ESPN as the company’s Senior NBA Insider,” he wrote. “I can’t wait to join an incredible group of colleagues at ESPN and serve sports audiences worldwide.”
He ended his statement: “Being a member of ESPN is a dream come true. The routine continues.’
Charania, 30, has established himself as one of the top NBA news breakers, regularly competing with 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 under Wojnarowski at Yahoo!.
Charania’s hiring comes after Wojnarowski shockingly announced his retirement as a journalist on September 18.
He left his role at ESPN to become general manager of the men’s basketball program at St. Bonaventure, his alma mater.
“Woj,” as he was affectionately known by his ESPN colleagues, was believed to make $7 million a year as ESPN’s top NBA scoop star.
The Athletics previously reported that the network’s Jeff Passan, an MLB insider, had emerged as a candidate to switch beats and replace his friend Wojnarowski.
However, that did not work and on Monday Passan posted the iconic ‘I’m not f***ing making’ scene from Wolf of Wall Street after the Charania news broke.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan will stay on the MLB beat instead of moving to NBA duties
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter is also said to be in consideration to replace ‘Woj’
He added below: “Baseball is better anyway.”
Front office sports also reported earlier this month that ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter could become the “ultimate insider” and add NBA reporting duties to his existing football role.
Charania’s move also follows the ouster of popular NBA writer and analyst Zach Lowe from the network.
According to The Athletic, Lowe made over $1 million before he was fired.