Report: ESPN Suspends NBA Reporter Adrian Wojnarowski Following Profane Response to U.S. Senator

ESPN has reportedly suspended NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski following Wojnarowski's profane response to U.S. senator via email.

Ben Pickman | Jul 12, 2020

ESPN has suspended NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski after he responded to an email from U.S. senator Josh Hawley (R, Mo.) by saying "F--- you" on Friday, according to the New York Post's Andrew Marchand.

According to the Post, ESPN has also scrapped Wojnarowski's expected travel this week to the NBA's bubble in Orlando.

According to the Washington Post's Ben Strauss, the suspension will last one-to-two weeks and Wojnarowski will still travel to the bubble at a later date.

Hawley wrote an open letter to NBA commissioner Adam Silver on Friday, in which the U.S. senator criticized the league's relationship with China and called on the league to allow players to put messages in support of the military, police and Hong Kong protestors on the backs of jerseys.

Wojnarowski responded to the press release sent to him by Hawley's office, saying "F--- you."

Hawley later shared the response on Twitter.

"I was disrespectful and I made a regrettable mistake," Wojnarowski said in a statement Friday. "I'm sorry for the way I handled myself and I am reaching out immediately to Senator Hawley to apologize directly. I also need to apologize to my ESPN colleagues because I know my actions were unacceptable and should not reflect on any of them."

ESPN said in its own statement Friday that the comments were "completely unacceptable behavior," and that they would address the matter internally.

Following news of Wojnarowski's reported suspension, players from around the league appeared to voice their support for the reporter, tweeting a variety of messages using #FreeWoj.