NBA Draft: It took 1 pick for fans to get mad at ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
Adrian Wojnarowski didn’t make any friends on NBA Draft night when he whiffed on the first three picks and spoiled the No. 1 overall selection.
Usually, a Woj Bomb is unimpeachable. When ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski says to expect something to happen in the NBA world, it does.
That wasn’t the case on Thursday as a dramatic opening to the 2022 NBA Draft unfurled
In the morning, Wojnarowski tweeted the draft order sources were indicating.
“As team boards finalize today, the 1-2-3 of the NBA Draft is increasingly firm, per sources: Jabari Smith to Orlando, Chet Holmgren to Oklahoma City and Paolo Banchero to Houston,” he wrote.
Then, minutes before the first pick, Woj blew up everyone’s expectations by reporting that Duke’s Banchero was in contention to be selected by the Magic.
As I just reported on our NBA Draft Show on ESPN, Duke's Paolo Banchero has joined Auburn's Jabari Smith under serious consideration to be franchise's No. 1 overall pick, sources said. There's a real chance draft boards could get blown up at the top of the lottery.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2022
And that’s exactly what happened. Orlando drafted Banchero, not Smith as Woj had initially indicated.
Somebody call Freezing Cold Takes, though getting put on blast by that Twitter account sounds preferable to facing the torches and pitchforks of the NBA Twitter mob.
To say people were upset would be an understatement. Those who had put money down on Smith as the No. 1 pick were especially irate.
NBA Twitter was not happy with Adrian Wojnarowski during the draft
I’ll never trust Woj again. https://t.co/VzMTYhuoKG
— Brian Giuffra (@brian_giuffra) June 24, 2022
Me: I am going to make a modest bet on the NBA Draft
— Adam Kramer (@KegsnEggs) June 24, 2022
Woj: pic.twitter.com/H2bJ5pG4jb
Woj made Vegas a lot of money today with that report in the morning after the odds swung to Banchero being the No. 1 pick.
— Mark Giannotto (@mgiannotto) June 24, 2022
I genuinely want Woj’s texts subpoenaed
— Payton J. Havermann (@paytonisnotroll) June 24, 2022
Woj applauding his sources for misleading him (and thus his audience) is journalism at its finest.
— Isaac Chotiner (@IChotiner) June 24, 2022
https://twitter.com/br_betting/status/1540121490376589312
That Woj tweet this morning was nasty business lmaooooooo
— Jason Patt (@Bulls_Jay) June 24, 2022
Everybody that bet on the NBA Draft after Woj fake draft order tweet earlier: https://t.co/8i8VHRnU91 pic.twitter.com/pRWWUcq7CL
— kingtisemedia (@kingtisemedia) June 24, 2022
Others weren’t happy to see Wojnarowski reporting on the ESPN broadcast, essentially spoiling the No. 1 pick. Muting or blocking him on Twitter because of pick tipping had become common for NBA Draft viewers wanting to see the picks unfold as they happened.
They couldn’t escape this Woj Bomb.
It sucks they let Woj ruin what would’ve been a surprise first pick to most people. I muted him on Twitter to avoid spoilers smh
— Jim Cunningham (@J1MCUNN1NGHAM) June 24, 2022
https://twitter.com/MEM_Caleb/status/1540124774692786176
Woj on TV ruining the picks now. NBA is cooked product.
— dr. jxke 🧸 (@cantguardjake) June 24, 2022
Woj spoiling the draft on live television, you can’t even escape it lol
— Joshua (@jr_xxi) June 24, 2022
https://twitter.com/IQ_szn5/status/1540124689326039041
After Duke picked Banchero, Oklahoma City went forward as planned and took Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren. That left Smith for Houston at No. 3.
It was the Top 3 everyone expected, just turned upside down.
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