Shams taking over Woj’s ESPN job reminds us best NBA beef isn’t between players
What would the ShamWow guy say about the latest escalation in the Shams-Woj saga? Probably something along the lines of, “Wow! The Shams-Woj rivalry holds 20 times its weight… in beef!” Because the juicy history between these two involves almost as many twists and as much hand-wringing as the infomercial towel their names together (sort of) sound like.
For those unfamiliar with the Adrian Wojnarowski, Shams Charania standoff, it’s probably the most fascinating beef in the NBA — and it doesn’t even involve players! And for those unfamiliar with the ShamWow guy, shame on you — but this video should suffice:
Shams-Woj beef timeline
Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania have been household names to NBA fans in the social media age. Wojnarowski, better known as “Woj” to his legions of followers, may be famous for covering every NBA team, but he’s undoubtedly a trailblazer in the reporting world.
Wojnarowski came from a traditional journalistic background, getting his start as an award-winning sports columnist for the Bergen Record in New Jersey. When he left that job for Yahoo Sports, according to the Athletic, one of Woj’s editors at the Bergen Record told him, “I’m worried that no one is going to hear from you again.” Boy did that prediction prove wrong.
Wojnarowski made his name at Yahoo Sports — and on Twitter, now X — where he became legendary for his self-proclaimed “Woj bombs” where he’d be the first to disclose breaking major NBA news.
Woj was so legendary that he started getting his own super-fans, like a teenaged Shams Charania, who was growing up in the Chicago area wanting to emulate his reporting idol.
Eventually, Shams did get to work with Woj at Yahoo Sports, with Woj taking Shams under his wing and serving as a mentor. But in a tale as old as time, Woj may have done his job too well, and when Woj left Yahoo Sports to join ESPN in 2017 — the student quickly became the teacher.
Shams took the reins at Yahoo Sports and he and Woj turned from friends to bitter rivals, constantly competing to be the first to break NBA news on Twitter.
In 2018, Shams took his talents over to The Athletic and Stadium, where he continued building upon his resume and impressing NBA insiders with his basketball acumen and general, all-around Woj-iness.
Now Shams is following Woj again, this time filling his shoes as ESPN’s senior NBA insider, after Woj announced his retirement from journalism last month to accept a position as general manager of the men’s basketball team at his alma mater, St. Bonaventure University.
As news of the hire broke, Shams took to the platform that made him famous to declare, “I am honored to join ESPN as the company’s Senior NBA Insider. I can’t wait to be part of an incredible group of colleagues at ESPN and serve the sports audience worldwide.”
I am honored to join ESPN as the company’s Senior NBA Insider. I can’t wait to be part of an incredible group of colleagues at ESPN and serve the sports audience worldwide. pic.twitter.com/sBDFGIpkb6
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 7, 2024
This latest twist in the Shams-Woj saga should only intensify their fierce rivalry. And if things ever get a little too heated in the Shams-Woj beef, we know exactly which towel they can use to cool down.
The post Shams taking over Woj’s ESPN job reminds us best NBA beef isn’t between players appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings