National Basketball Association

Sources: Adrian Wojnarowski to start at ESPN on July 1

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

Sports Illustrated, Richard Deitsch/Sports Illustrated

One of the NBA's biggest free agent signings has happened away from the court.

SI has learned that the NBA's leading news-breaker—Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports—will join ESPN on July 1, which coincides the date NBA free agents can begin reaching verbal agreements with teams. It's been an open secret in sports media and NBA circles that Wojnarowski was headed to ESPN from Yahoo, with only his start date remaining unknown. News of his potentially going to ESPN was first reported last February by Kevin Draper, then of Deadspin and now of the New York Times.

When contacted by SI.com, Wojnarowski's media agent, Matt Kramer of CAA, declined comment.

It remains unclear when Wojnarowski will officially appear on an ESPN platform but the two most likely landing spots are the midnight SportsCenter hosted by Scott Van Pelt, or the Rachel Nichols-led The Jump program, which is likely to air during the first overnight of the free agency period. Some of Wojnarowski's staff at The Vertical will join him, though those details are still being worked out.