ESPN Reportedly Could Name Stunning Adrian Wojnarowski Replacement

Adrian Wojnarowski shockingly announced his retirement from ESPN on Sept. 18, and less than two weeks later it appears the company is primed to make a shocking announcement of its own.

Jeff Passan might just be asked to switch from baseball to basketball.

Passan “emerged as a candidate” to switch sports and replace Wojnarowski as ESPN’s lead news breaker for the NBA, Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reported Saturday. The Athletic’s Shams Charania, who battled with Wojnarowski for scoops over the last few years, reportedly is another top candidate for the job.

Passan followed the same path as Wojnarowski, starting as an insider at Yahoo Sports before moving to ESPN. Passan makes around $1 million per year, according to Marchand, which is significantly less than the $20 million that was left on Wojnarowski’s deal.

ESPN just signed an 11-year extension to be the home of the NBA Finals, so it would make sense that it prioritizes basketball — especially considering it can opt out of its current contract with MLB in 2025.

ESPN still has Ramona Shelburne, Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps on its roster of NBA insiders, though it let go of senior writer Zach Lowe this week. Buster Olney and Jesse Rogers are still under contract to report on baseball.