ESPN’s senior NBA insider, Adrian Wojnarowski bids farewell to journalism. After three decades in the industry, the 55-year-old will transition to the GM of St. Bonaventure’s men’s basketball program. He is an alumnus of the same institution and hence, Wojnarowski’s decision to go back to his roots wasn’t surprising. However, what came as a surprise was his abrupt retirement. This has brought to light a primary question: What is the real reason behind the sudden exit?

During his career, Adrian Wojnarowski has been a premier newsbreaker. He became famous for dropping ‘Woj bombs’ that stirred the waters of basketball. Therefore, when Wojnarowski dropped his final Woj bomb, he once again, shook the sports world; but this time it was a bit emotional. After years of being the ultimate one-stop for all things NBA, this goodbye fell out of the blue. Adrian Wojnarowski joined ESPN in 2017 after working with Shams Charania for Yahoo Sports, along with other organizations.

“It is a thrill of a lifetime to be able to return to a university and community that I love in a role of service to our student-athletes, coaches, and institution,” Wojnarowski told ESPN. “I am hopeful that I can bring value in a lot of areas to our basketball program and open doors for our young men’s futures in ways both professionally and personally.”

Meanwhile, sportswriter Dan Le Batard has a theory that could be the reason for the pundit’s retirement. Speaking on his, The Dan Le Batard Show, the host recalled his memories as a journalist at the beginning of his career. Dan shared: “That lifestyle is a mental health calamity. I wouldn’t want it, no matter how much it pays. I’m telling you I’ve told you before that when I had to be in the news-breaking business in my early twenties, I was sobbing at midnight.” He added that at one point he hated his life as a journalist so he’s imagining that “Shams and Adam Schefter are looking at Woj and they’re jealous.”

So, what we can decipher from Dan Le Batard’s analysis is that the news-breaking job could have been a bit harsh on Adrian Wojnarowski’s well-being. Therefore, he took the first chance to move out of the workspace and take up the role of the GM at his alma mater. The fact that ‘Woj’ let go of his $7 million annual salary might solidify Dan’s stance. So, could this be a possibility? Guess, we’ll never know, unless the ex-NBA insider decides to reveal.

Who could be the perfect replacement for Adrian Wojnarowski? Can he truly be replaced?

“I am retiring from a dream job at ESPN and am so incredibly grateful for my time and experiences with the Worldwide Leader,” Wojnarowski said. Now another rather concerning question must be popping in your heads. Can anyone truly replace Adrain Wojnarowski? The simple answer is no. However, someone eligible can surely fit in his shoes. But who? Reports suggest ESPN will surely pick someone from their pool of insiders and analysts.

In reality, the org might be scanning through Brian Windhorst, Zach Lowe, and Tim Bontemps to name a few. They might also be looking at Shams Charania and Chris Haynes’ resumes. In the search to replace the best, ESPN will carefully evaluate top candidates before filling Adrian Wojnarowski’s role.

So, as of now, Woj’s duties are exclusive to St. Bonaventure. Surely, his presence will be missed among the NBA enthusiasts who’d wait for Adrian to drop his bombs. Meanwhile, the most intriguing side of this entire retirement episode would be ESPN looking for the right person to continue Adrian Wojnarowski’s legacy. Can they do it?