Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
When he realized, after failing to make his high school’s freshman basketball team, that an NBA career was not in the cards, Shams Charania had to figure out what was next. Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, Charania loved the NBA and always had a passion for writing. So, being able to put 2 and 2 together, the only logical path was to combine the two loves and become a sports writer.
He attended New Trier High School where he received his first experience in the field of journalism. After his ‘hoop dreams’ were dashed, he was encouraged to join the school newspaper. Charania followed the advice and became the sports editor and a writer.
“That was the first moment for me where I started down this path,” he told the Chicago Sun Times last month.
From high school, Charania attended Loyola University Chicago and while there picked up a few paying jobs in the industry that really set him on the path to where he is today.
Now, Charania is one of the youngest ‘insiders’ in the business who just inked a deal to become the top NBA Insider for ESPN.
THE BEGINNINGS ON THE ROAD TO ESPN
He began his sports writing career at the age of 17 covering the Chicago Bulls for ChicagoNow, which was a subsidiary of the Chicago Tribune.
“I didn’t have a writing voice; I really didn’t know the industry. So that allowed me to find my voice, get experience writing. I was probably writing 3,000-5,000 words a day sophomore, junior, senior year of high school.” Charania told the Sun Times.
In 2012, Charania began writing for RealGM, and reporting small transactions around the league, while still attending Loyola.
In order to cover the NBA, Charania would be forced to drive to either Milwaukee or Indianapolis. That’s because the Bulls didn’t credential high school or college students. The Bucks and Pacers offered the chance to take in NBA games and gave Charania the chance to get in front of players.
Early on he wasn’t the ‘news breaker’ he is today. He would interview players one-on-one and that was the material he provided to bosses and fans alike. The skill of becoming an insider was starting to develop though as he would become more known and trusted by players.
“I remember the first time I broke a 10-day contract,” Charania told the Sun Times of his scoop in 2013. “Shavlik Randolph going to the Boston Celtics. My hands were trembling. I was sweaty.”
He was starting to get noticed. In 2015 Adrian Wojnarowski, then working for Yahoo Sports was planning to launch The Vertical. It was to be a Yahoo website dedicated to NBA coverage. ‘Woj’ wanted him to join the platform as a ‘news breaker’. Charania didn’t disappoint. After joining Yahoo, he began to break major deals and high-profile signings in the summer of 2016. That included DeMar DeRozan’s re-signing with the Toronto Raptors and Jamal Crawford’s signing with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Charania spent almost 3 years working with Wojnarowski, and is thankful for their relationship.
“I’m grateful to have been a part of that team at The Vertical and the opportunity that he gave me,” Charania told The Sun Times. “He paved the way. I’m forever grateful for the impact and the guidance that he had on me when we were together, how he helped bring me along as a young reporter.”
In August of 2018, Charania announced he was leaving The Vertical and was headed to The Athletic and Stadium. Then about a month ago, Charania announced that he would be joining ESPN as the network’s Senior NBA Insider. He replaced Wojnarowski, who left the role to become General Manager of the St. Bonaventure Men’s Basketball program. Charania is appearing across multiple shows and platforms at the network.
He actually broke news on his very first appearance on First Take, telling Stephen A. Smith that veteran Danny Green was retiring from the NBA. Good first day huh?
RIVALRY W/ WOJ
There has been a perceived ‘feud’ between Wojnarowski and Charania, ever since the latter left The Vertical. They did in fact become rivals, fighting for the same scoops which is what led to this supposed battle between the two insiders. The rivalry was propelled mainly by fans and NBA media members.
Reports of a rift surfaced in 2021, NBA reporter Ethan Strauss alleged a falling-out between the two and that Wojnarowski expresses contempt for Charania. Whatever the case was, the two gentlemen were seen as being beneficial for the league, by many high-powered agents.
Neither Wojnarowski nor Charania have ever spoken publicly about the rivalry. Woj did offer a thought about Charania on the Jim Rome Show, revealing that Shams texted Adrian following his retirement announcement. Then Wojnarowski offered a comment about Charania.
“I hope he has as fulfilling and as rewarding a career as I’ve had,” he said. “I certainly wish that for him. And he’s right about the incredible group of colleagues that he’s going to find at ESPN.”
Charania was asked by CNBC what he texted to Wojnarowski.
“It was a congratulatory message on just the appreciation that I have and his amazing career,” Charania said. “We spent two years together at Yahoo, and I was brought on to The Vertical, and the help that I had early on in my career as a younger reporter, that will never be lost on me. Just wishing him the best in his retirement and his next chapter. I’m forever indebted, and I think everyone in the industry should be as well.”
WHY GO TO INSIDER?
It’s hard to question Charania’s work ethic, considering how long the 30-year-old has been doing this. He decided at a young age what his passion was, and he absolutely went for it without looking back. That’s the kind of style I want in my ‘insider’, one with a relentless approach to the job. Charania has that drive.
He has a tenacious style. You just know that he’s on his phone most of the day and night, texting or calling players, GM’s or his sources. Charania understands the delicate balance of searching for answers and stories and being a pest. But it’s all part of the job, pursuing scoops. Sometimes that intense chase can have people thinking that he’s nothing more than a guy spreading news that the GM’s or agents want him to spread. Charania says that’s a completely false read on what he does as a reporter.
“I’m here to dig information up,” he told CNBC. “Over the course of my career, I’ve tried not to be that annoying, but you understand it. You know when you feel like you have news or you’re digging on news, you’re digging on a tip. There’s a level of relentlessness to it. And I definitely think there have been times where people might feel like I am maybe overwhelming when I’m reaching out to dig up a trade, or dig up a signing, or dig up a major piece of news. But I’d rather be characterized that way than not being aggressive and trying to hunt and do my job.”
As a fan or a viewer or reader, that makes me believe that what he is telling me is the truth as his fully vetted sources are telling him. For him, being right, is much more important than being first to the story.
“Being accurate, being 100%, nothing can come out until you feel that way, and there definitely are boxes,” Charania said on the OGs Podcast. “If I’m 99% on something, it’s not going to go out. I’ve lost a ton of stories being 98% or 99%, but that is most important for sure. Obviously being first is what you strive for, but being accurate is the most important.”
Has he been wrong before? Yes. But show me a photo of an insider that hasn’t gotten one wrong. I’ll be staring at a blank photo. Understand? It’s how you recover from a mistake that makes you worth your salt in this business. So far so good on that front.
Charania is a kid born in the ‘social media age’ and used the various platforms to prove his credibility, even before he got a real shot. Knowledge of X, Facebook, Snap Chat and Instagram gives him a leg up on the competition.
Building that base of followers by dropping some nuggets and then a big nugget is a great way to get that brand noticed. And the more of those little items that pan out, the more and more credibility you build. Having a trusting relationship with viewers and readers is what it is all about. Charania has proven his ability to get things right, whether it be a small signing, to a very impactful one, involving well known and established players.
Charania is not that far removed from the days when he too would check the internet to find out what transactions were made that day. His relative youth, gives him the ability to relate to those younger readers, like he once was.
“I view myself as someone that understands the audience very well,” Charania told the Sun Times. “I was the audience. I was obsessed over where is this player signing, where is this player getting traded to. I was always wondering those things when I was coming up in middle school, high school and college. Now fans crave that, and I definitely understand their passion.”
Andy Masur is a columnist for BSM and works for WGN Radio as an anchor and play-by-play announcer. He also teaches broadcasting at the Illinois Media School. During his career he has called games for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox. He can be found on Twitter @Andy_Masur1 or you can reach him by email at Andy@Andy-Masur.com.
