Shams Charania is leaving The Athletic to join ESPN as their new Senior NBA Insider, sources have confirmed. The shocking news has sent shockwaves throughout the sports world, with many fans and insiders taking to social media to share their reactions.
Charania, known for his reliable and up-to-date reporting on all things NBA, will fill the void left by the departure of Adrian Wojnarowski, who recently announced his retirement from ESPN. Wojnarowski's exit was met with a mixture of sadness and anticipation, as fans eagerly awaited the news of who would take his place.
According to sources, Charania was heavily courted by ESPN, who were eager to bring him on board as their new top NBA insider. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but sources close to the negotiations say that Charania was offered a lucrative contract that he couldn't refuse.
Before joining ESPN, Charania made a name for himself at The Athletic, where he quickly established himself as one of the top NBA reporters in the business. His reporting was always well-researched, informative, and often breaking news that other outlets would struggle to keep up with.
Meanwhile, some insiders had hinted that Jeff Passan, ESPN's top MLB reporter, was being considered to take over as the network's top NBA insider. However, those rumors were put to rest with the announcement of Charania's hiring.
The move is seen as a major coup for ESPN, who are looking to bolster their NBA coverage in the wake of Wojnarowski's retirement. Charania brings a level of expertise and credibility to the network that is hard to match, and fans are eagerly awaiting his first reports as an ESPN insider.