Shams Charania Being Pursued by NBC and ESPN Following Woj's Retirement Announcement
Shams and Woj are considered by many in the sports world to have the only "real" rivalry in sports journalism.
The sports journalism world was lit on fire Wednesday morning when ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski announced he would be leaving his position at the sports network and the news industry altogether to accept a general manager position at his alma mater, St. Bonaventure.
The announcement left a massive void in the sports journalism industry, as Woj was one of the two leading reporters who broke the biggest NBA news. The other person on that coin is Shams Charania, Woj's former protégé and current rival.
Sources tell Complex both NBC and ESPN are pursuing Shams as his contracts with The Athletic and FanDuel TV are about to expire this month. Woj's contract with ESPN is rumored to have paid out at least $7 million per year, and all indications would point toward Charania commanding something similar in his new venture.
The two were once teammates at Yahoo Sports, where Shams became a figure as prominent as his mentor, but both men saw their friendship turn into a competitive one when Woj left for ESPN in 2017. While Woj brought his team along with him to ESPN, Shams stayed at Yahoo and eventually moved on to The Athletic in 2018, where he officially became his mentor's rival and led NBA coverage on the platform for six years.
Colleagues reportedly claimed Woj and Shams' rivalry was the only "real" one in the business. But now that Woj is leaving the industry, where does that leave Shams?
The field is wide open for Shams to be the number one NBA insider. Outside of Woj, no one else comes close to the influence and power that Shams has in breaking NBA news. He has a combined following of 3 million people on social media and helped launch several programs, including the successful Run It Back show on FanDuel TV.
People have already assumed Shams is the guy now, such as Pat McAfee, who openly speculated that was the case during Wednesday's episode of his weekly ESPN show. But according to a source exclusive to Complex, Shams is set to solidify his spot as the top guy in NBA reporting.
Shams being pursued by ESPN and NBC is a huge deal for a number of reasons. If he were to join ESPN, Shams would be taking the reins of his former mentor and could usher in a new era of post-Woj Bombs at the legendary sports network. And given he reportedly still wants to write articles, ESPN has a platform to keep that passion going.
However, given the fact Shams never joined Woj at ESPN when he had the chance in 2017 and instead chose to build on his own, it could mean he would turn the offer down so as not to be under Woj's shadow or have to fill his shoes.
With the NBA returning to NBC and it's streaming subscription service Peacock in 2025, Shams joining NBC would continue the pursuit of building a legacy on a massive platform in a prime spot open for an NBA insider to break the news. Who better to take that position than the biggest free agent in the business? There is also a lane for him to continue writing with NBCSports.com.
This is the latest chapter in the storied rivalry between Shams and Woj despite the latter retiring with a touching memo sent to ESPN on Wednesday. The ball is now in Shams's court to shake up the NBA reporting world as we know it.
Rudy Gobert Responds to Shaq Calling Him the Worst NBA Player of All Time: ‘It Is Sad’
Steph Curry Talks About ‘Deepened Respect and Friendship’ With LeBron James, Says They 'Motivated Each Other' During Paris Olympics
Magic Johnson Responds to Anthony Edwards Saying Michael Jordan Was the Only Talented Player in the 90s