"So this is why he stepped down" - NBA fans shocked over former insider Adrian Wojnarowski’s cancer revelation

On Thursday, former NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski announced via an interview with Sports Illustrated that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Prior to parting ways with ESPN earlier this year, Wojnarowski was told that he had early-stage cancer after a blood test showed his prostate-specific antigen level was elevated.

Following a biopsy, Adrian Wojnarowski was faced with the reality that he was now battling cancer. While the diagnosis hasn't come with any symptoms, and the NBA Insider is simply undergoing quarterly checkups rather than diving into aggressive treatment, the news has left the NBA community shocked.

In response to the announcement, fans were quick to weigh in on social media, wishing Adrian Wojnarowski well, and weighing in on how the situation may have impacted his retirement from news media.

"So this is why he stepped down, prayers to the [goat] and his family" - One fan wrote

"Prayers for the goat man at least he found out abt it now than later" - Another added

"F**k cancer" - Wrote legendary coach George Karl

Others shared words of encouragement for Woj:

"f*ck cancer, you’re in my prayers woj" - One fan wrote

"WojBomb when he beats cancer is gonna be insane" - One added

"Oh wow, all my support goes to him, that’s crazy" - Another wrote

Adrian Wojnarowski explains how cancer diagnosis shifted his perspective on life, and work

While many fans wrote that Wojnarowski's cancer diagnosis was the reason for his sudden exit from ESPN, that wasn't actually the case. In the aforementioned Sports Illustrated interview, Chris Mannix wrote that Wojnarowski said cancer didn't force his retirement.

Despite that, what the diagnosis did do was give Woj some perspective on his life, and his work. Although he had been sitting atop the world of breaking news for more than a decade, he had no interest in staying there:

“I didn’t want to spend one more day of my life waiting on someone’s MRI or hitting an agent at 1 a.m. about an ankle sprain.”

On top of that, Adrian Wojnarowski also recalled attending a memorial for former ESPN NFL Insider Chris Mortensen in Arkansas. While many colleagues traveled to Arkansas for the memorial, Woj was surprised by the number of people who didn't:

“It made me remember that the job isn’t everything. In the end it’s just going to be your family and close friends. And it’s also, like, nobody gives a s**t. Nobody remembers [breaking stories] in the end. It’s just vapor.”

Finally, after mulling over the idea of walking away from his ESPN Insider role, Woj asked his son, Ben, what he thought of the idea of him quitting. In response, Ben told him that he thought his job, quote: "f*****g sucks," and that Woj should retire and travel with his wife.