The Program with Woj
Adrian Wojnarowski, now General Manager of the St. Bonaventure men's basketball program, hosts this series where he talks with high-profile guests about building sustainable and competitive programs in college and professional sports. Drawing from his own transition into a new role, Woj explores how teams develop and sustain success at the highest levels.
Episodes
Jeff Peterson on working to build an NBA contender and why the Hornets were sold on Kon Knueppel
Charlotte Hornets President of Basketball Operations Jeff Peterson joins The Program to discuss the realities of building an NBA contender in today's league.
Peterson takes Adrian Wojnarowski inside the Hornets' front office as they prepare for another pivotal offseason, sharing lessons from two years leading basketball operations in Charlotte and explaining how organizations navigate the draft,
Jonathan Givony analyzes the 2026 NBA Draft: Dybantsa, Boozer, or Peterson at No. 1?
Draft Express founder Jonathan Givony joins Woj for an in-depth look at the 2026 NBA Draft and the difficult decisions facing teams at the top of the board.
In this episode, we cover:
• Why Givony would select Darryn Peterson over AJ Dybantsa and Cam Boozer with the No. 1 overall pick
• How Peterson, Boozer, and Dybantsa compare as franchise cornerstones
• Why the analytics strongly favor Cam
Jonathan Givony details the NCAA’s 11th hour international eligibility crackdown
Draft Express founder Jonathan Givony joins Woj to examine the NCAA's new international eligibility guidelines and the uncertainty they're creating throughout college basketball.
In this episode, we cover:
• Why the NCAA's May guidance caught coaches and programs off guard
• How international players can lose eligibility based on the leagues they played in overseas
• Why schools that have already
An NBA veteran's first year GMing Notre Dame basketball with Pat Garrity
Pat Garrity played 10-plus years in the NBA, then spent four seasons in Detroit's front office learning how to build a winning team. Now he's back at Notre Dame, the school where he was Big East Player of the Year, running the general manager role for both the men's and women's basketball programs.
Woj and Pat break down what it really takes to compete in the NIL and transfer portal era, why re-
Texas football GM Brandon Harris on managing Arch Manning's contract--and everyone else's
Texas football GM Brandon Harris joins Woj to pull back the curtain on what it actually costs to build and keep a championship-level roster in the SEC.
In this episode, we cover:
Why the minimum investment to compete for a national championship in the SEC is $30 million and climbing
How Harris structures negotiations to keep Coach Sark insulated from player money conversations
T
Jeff Passan on the Yankees' edge, the Dodgers' dominance, and one manager's plan to stop Ohtani
Jeff Passan catches up with Woj to break down what actually separates good MLB organizations from great ones, and talk about his new show Sources Tell Jeff Passan.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The Yankees' secret edge in pitching development
- Why the Dodgers are nearly impossible to beat
- How Moneyball changed sports forever
- The power shift from managers to front offices
- One manager's hi
Kaleb Canales on reuniting with Dame and building Weber State into a winner
New Weber State head coach Kaleb Canales joins Woj to discuss what it means to reunite with Damian Lillard, the player he helped draft in Portland, now as his general manager.
In this episode, we cover:
• What Damian Lillard’s role as general manager looks like day to day
• Building a roster with an NBA style approach
• The pro college hybrid system Canales is installing
• Lessons from
Why this coach loves NIL and the transfer portal
New Boston College basketball head coach Luke Murray catches up with Woj to break down why he embraces the chaos of modern college basketball, and how roster building now looks more like managing a salary cap than recruiting a team.
From rebuilding an entire roster overnight to navigating NIL, the portal, and shifting player markets, Murray gives his take on what it actually takes to build a winn
The real reason NFL teams win and lose | Adam Schefter
This week, ESPN's Adam Schefter joins Woj on The Program to break down how NFL teams are actually built. Woj and Schefter dive into the realities of roster construction, the shifting balance of power between GMs and head coaches, and what it really takes to build a team that can win consistently in today’s NFL.
In this episode, we discuss:
The Power Structure: How control shifts between coaches,
The boldest experiment in college baseball Is working with Oregon State's Mitch Canham
This week, Oregon State coach Mitch Canham joins Woj on The Program to unpack one of the most unconventional builds in college baseball.
Woj and Canham dive into how Oregon State navigated conference realignment, built an independent schedule from scratch, and still returned to national prominence—while doubling down on a culture rooted in discipline, development, and accountability.
In this epi
"80% of a Team's Success Is Decided Before the Season Starts " with Evan Miyakawa
This week, Evan Miyakawa (EvanMiya.com) joins Woj on The Program to pull back the curtain on the analytics driving the modern game.
Woj and Evan break down the 80/20 rule of roster building, why "bucket getters" often fail when jumping to the high-major level, and which programs—from Michigan to Vanderbilt—are using data to gain a competitive edge in the NIL marketplace.
In this episode, we disc
The hidden NBA Draft storylines in March Madness with Jonathan Givony
On this episode of The Program, Woj is joined by Draft Express’ Jonathan Givony to break down what March Madness really means for NBA prospects — and how the draft landscape is changing in real time.
With March Madness underway, the spotlight shifts to a new wave of young talent. But as Givony explains, the tournament is just one piece of a much larger evaluation process — one that now includes y
How George Steinbrenner built the Yankee dynasty with Mike Vaccaro
George Steinbrenner didn’t just rebuild the New York Yankees — he changed how modern sports franchises are built.
In this episode of The Program, Woj sits down with legendary New York columnist Mike Vaccaro, author of The Bosses of the Bronx, to unpack how Steinbrenner transformed the Yankees into the most powerful brand in sports.
From signing Catfish Hunter and Reggie Jackson to reshaping free
The state of the game: A conversation with Hall of Famer Tara VanDerveer
In a rare and candid conversation, Hall of Fame coach Tara VanDerveer joins Woj to discuss her transition from the sidelines to the classroom. After 38 years at Stanford and a record-breaking 1,216 career wins, the winningest coach in college basketball history opens up about the "perfect storm" that led to her retirement in 2024.
Woj and Tara also covered:
The "Joy" Mandate: Why the best co
NBA tanking, the death of free agency, and the new era of college scouting with Bobby Marks
On this episode of The Program, Woj reunites with ESPN Front Office Insider Bobby Marks!
Woj and Bobby discuss:
The NBA’s "Tanking" Fine: Why a $500,000 fine is just the "cost of doing business" for a shot at a generational superstar.
The Rise of the "Super-Senior": How NIL is turning the second round of the NBA Draft into a hunt for 23 and 24-year-old high-value, cost-controlled talent
Pro-St
How Jerry Mack transformed Kennesaw State Football in 12 months
On this episode of The Program, Woj sits down with Conference USA Coach of the Year and Bear Bryant Newcomer of the Year, Jerry Mack.
After inheriting a 2-10 program at Kennesaw State, Mack engineered one of the most dramatic turnarounds in the country, leading the Owls to a 10-4 record and a bowl appearance in year one. Mack breaks down the "staff list" he spent a decade building, the transition
The high stakes world of USA Basketball with Stephen Silas
As USA Basketball prepares for the next window of World Cup Qualifying in Southern California, Stephen Silas joins Woj to talk through the unique, high-pressure discipline of tight-window international team building.
Fresh off a 24-year run in the NBA — includingas the Houston Rockets’ head coach and assistant roles working with Steph Curry and LeBron James — Silas shares what he’s learned about
Inside the Ohio State Football front office: GM Mark Pantoni on the new era of roster building
Mark Pantoni, General Manager and Director of Player Personnel at Ohio State, joins The Program to pull back the curtain on the rapidly evolving "front office" of college football.
From his humble beginnings as an undergraduate pre-med student at Florida—where his first task for Urban Meyer was hand-writing 400 envelopes a day—to now managing what is essentially a collegiate "salary cap," Pantoni
Will Hardy on the human side of player development, Kevin Love's impact & front office alignment
This week, Woj sits down with Utah Jazz Head Coach Will Hardy to go inside one of the most intentional culture-building projects in the NBA. Since taking the reins in Utah, Hardy has navigated the transition from a veteran contender to a young, hungry roster by emphasizing the "monotony of greatness" and a holistic approach to the modern athlete.
In this episode, Woj and Will discuss:
The Mo
Making players the CEOs of their own development with Hornets assistant coach Josh Longstaff
This week, Woj sits down with Charlotte Hornets assistant coach Josh Longstaff to go inside the high-stakes world of NBA player development.
Longstaff, a rising name in the coaching ranks, shares the lessons he learned in the trenches of Oklahoma City, where he helped mold three future Hall of Famers, and explains the radical "CEO" culture he is now building alongside Charles Lee in Charlotte.
J
Pete Thamel on Curt Cignetti and the rapid ascent of Indiana football
ESPN’s Pete Thamel joins Woj to dissect one of the most improbable rises in the history of the sport: the Indiana Hoosiers’ journey to the national title game. Ahead of a showdown with Miami, Woj and Pete dive into how Curt Cignetti built a "destination logo" in record time and the seismic shifts making this era of college athletics the most chaotic in history.
• The Indiana Rocket Ship:
Inside the strategic rise of BYU Basketball with Justin Young
On this episode of The Program, Woj is joined by BYU Head of Personnel Justin Young. Young walks us through "The Perfect Storm": a combination of NBA-level player development, the transition to the Big 12, and a high-functioning NIL landscape that has allowed BYU to go shoulder-to-shoulder with the blue bloods of the sport.
The Kevin Young Effect: Why a top NBA assistant chose the college gam
Tom Crean Pt. 2: How to win with less in the NIL era
Tom Crean, former head coach at Marquette, Indiana, and Georgia, returns for Part 2 of a masterclass in team building. Crean shares why the fundamentals of winning haven't changed, even if the payrolls have. He and Woj dive into everything from the challenges facing Mid-Majors, to the danger of setting "ceilings" for your stars, and much more.
The Talent Raid: How mid-majors can still win whe
Tom Crean Pt. 1: Managing the dilemmas of modern college basketball
Tom Crean, the former head coach at Marquette, Indiana, and Georgia, joins Woj to discuss the seismic shifts currently reshaping the college basketball landscape. Crean, who led Marquette to a Final Four and coached stars like Dwyane Wade and Anthony Edwards, dives deep into the evolving demands of coaching staffs in the NIL and Transfer Portal era, sharing insights on player development and how
David Carle’s blueprint for a NCAA hockey dynasty
This week Woj sits down with David Carle, the two-time national championship hockey coach at the University of Denver. With four Frozen Four appearances and two titles in eight seasons at DU, Carle is one of the most coveted coaches by the pros in all of college sports.
• The College Hockey Disruption: Carle details the unprecedented changes, including the recent ruling that made all pl
Dalmar Ali on Building Somalia's National Basketball Team and LIU's Mid-Major Success
Dalmar Ali, the newly appointed head coach of the Somalia National Basketball Team and an assistant coach at LIU, joins Adrian Wojnarowski to discuss his new international challenge, his roots, and the unique realities of of building a competitive program.
The International Blueprint: Ali discusses modeling the Somalia National Team's structure after successful nation-building efforts in Afri
J.B. Bickerstaff on NBA Coach Autonomy and The Formula for Earning Player Trust
Detroit Pistons coach, J.B. Bickerstaff, joins Woj to discuss the dynamics of team building, power structures in the NBA, and the principles that drive a healthy, winning organization.
Coach vs. Management vs. Ownership: Bickerstaff discusses the critical importance of a true partnership between the head coach, the general manager (Trajan Langdon), and ownership, highlighting the supportive,
Parcells Team Building Lessons & Will NIL Kill College Dynasties? With Mike Tannenbaum
Woj sits down with his former ESPN colleague, current NFL Front Office Insider at ESPN, and founder of The 33rd Team, Mike Tannenbaum, to discuss the dramatic blurring lines between the NFL and major college football.
College Football & The Cap
How NIL, revenue sharing, and the lack of a true salary cap are forcing college GMs and coaches to adopt NFL-style decis
Dusty May on NIL Deals, Tampering, and The Future Structure of College Basketball
In this week's edition of The Program with Woj, Woj sits down with Michigan Basketball Head Coach Dusty May.
Coach May takes us inside the incredible journey of Florida Atlantic’s improbable 2023 Final Four run and the historic challenges of keeping that mid-major team together in the face of the burgeoning transfer portal and NIL era. He discusses his team-building philosophy, how it has evolved
Grant Hill on the Pressure, the Players, and the Future of USA Basketball
On the latest episode of The Program, Woj sits down with Grant Hill, the Managing Director of USA Basketball.
Some of the topics covered:
The Weight of Gold: Hill shares what no one could have prepared him for regarding the pressure and expectation of winning the Olympics.
Connecting with the New Generation: How the league and players have changed in the last decade, and the evolving a
Prioritizing Player Over Paycheck with Tulane Football’s Jon Sumrall
On the third episode of The Program, Woj sits down with Tulane Football Head Coach Jon Sumrall to discuss his approach to roster building in the NIL era—balancing the transfer portal, constant roster churn, and the pursuit of a winning culture. Coach Sumrall shares why he separates coaching players from coaching dollar amounts, how he rewards good players who are good people, and why he’s comforta
Building Around a Superstar with Lindsay Gottlieb of USC Women’s Basketball
On the second episode of The Program, Woj sits down with USC women’s basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb — the former NBA assistant who returned to college to build one of the sport’s most exciting programs. Gottlieb shares why she saw USC — and Los Angeles — as the next great sports hub, and how she’s building a perennial national contender around phenom JuJu Watkins.
Some of the topics covered:
How Global Recruiting Has Transformed College Basketball with Jonathan Givony
On the debut episode of The Program, Woj visits with Jonathan Givony, founder of DraftExpress. They discuss the accelerated pattern of college’s recruiting international basketball talent — strategy that’s transforming roster construction in the age of paying players and the transfer portal.
Some of the topics covered:
• The Global GM Mindset: Givony reveals the one crucial evaluation met
The Program with Woj: Learning From the Best Team Builders in Sports
Welcome to The Program with Woj.
I’m Adrian Wojnarowski. You may remember me from my days as the Senior NBA Insider at ESPN, but now I’m back at my alma mater, St. Bonaventure, navigating a whole new world as GM of their men's college basketball team.
On The Program with Woj, I’ll sit down with some of the most accomplished and innovative leaders and minds across all levels of the sporting comm
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