defector-orange-no-empty-space

lede_post_card_default

lede_post_card_stacked

lede_post_card_featured_post

lede_post_card_featured_posts_hero

lede_post_card_featured_posts_sidebar

lede_post_card_highlighted_post

lede_post_card_horizontal_a

lede_post_card_horizontal_c

lede_post_card_related_post

lede_article_featured_16x9

lede_article_featured_3x2

lede_article_featured_flexible

lede_article_content

lede_article_content_wide_width

lede_article_content_full_width

lede_byline_avatar_post_card

lede_byline_avatar_highlight

lede_profile_coral_avatar

lede_logo

lede_logo_banner

lede_logo_footer_banner

lede_logo_simple_header

lede_sponsorship_logo

lede_sponsorship_logo_river_card

lede_sponsorship_homepage_card_logo

lede_sponsorship_homepage_card

Footer Legal

Header - Categories

Header Menu

The last good website.

Topics

This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

defector-no-empty-space

Defector

The Defector Crewneck Sweatshirt Is Back In Stock

back-in-stock-for-a-limited-time

Merch v3

IMG_5859

Giri Nathan

Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs and Chuck's Global Stars warms up during 2025 NBA All-Star Practice &amp; Media Availability at Oakland Arena on February 15, 2025 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

2025 NBA All-Star – Practice & Media Availability

Victor Wembanyama Is Done For The Season Due To A Blood Clot In His Shoulder

Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates victory over Australia's Alex De Minaur after their men's singles quarter-final match on day eleven of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 22, 2025. (Photo by Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP) /

TENNIS-AUS-OPEN

Tennis

WADA’s Doping Ban Settlement With Jannik Sinner Creates More Questions Than Answers

US Vice President JD Vance, standing alongside President Donald Trump (R), speaks about the mid-air crash between American Airlines flight 5342 and a military helicopter in Washington, in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on January 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. Divers pulled bodies from the icy waters of Washington's Potomac river Thursday after a US military helicopter collided midair with a passenger plane carrying 64 people, with officials saying there were likely no survivors. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP) (Photo by OLIVER CONTRERAS/AFP via Getty Images)

US-POLITICS-TRUMP-AVIATION-ACCIDENT

Politics

JD Vance Would Throw His Own Kids Under A Bus If Donald Trump Were Driving It

000605280036

Life's Rich Pageant

A Stinky Pilgrimage To The Corpse Flower, With Notes Of Rat, Sweat, And Cheese

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 2: Masai Ujiri President of the Toronto Raptors speaks during media day on October 2, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)

masai-ujiri-raptors

Masai Ujiri Continues His Baffling Wing Collection

Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks celebrates a call in the first quarter against the Houston Rockets at Madison Square Garden on February 03, 2025 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets v New York Knicks

Jalen Brunson Plays Like A Rolling Rock

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JANUARY 25: Isaiah Stewart #28 of the Detroit Pistons has words with Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic during the third quarter at Kia Center on January 25, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)

Detroit Pistons v Orlando Magic

Isaiah Stewart Beefs Incessantly

During Day 14 of the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Andy Cheung/Getty Images)

madison-keys-australian-open

Madison Keys Won Her First Major By Changing Her Racquet And Mind

Screen Shot 2025-01-24 at 2.34.29 PM

Media Meltdowns

Oratorical Uncles Bond Over Increasingly Reactionary Views

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz meet at the net after their Australian Open match.

Novak Djokovic Teaches Carlos Alcaraz One More Crucial Lesson

An illustration of a tennis player holding a skull-shaped ball

tennis-ball-mattie-lubchansky

Has The Tennis Ball Gotten Worse?

LiAngelo Ball #18 of the Charlotte Hornets stands on the court in the fourth quarter during a preseason game at Spectrum Center on October 05, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

Indiana Pacers v Charlotte Hornets

Middle Ball Brother Finds Basketball-Free Success

2019-01-01 00:15:14.989

Maitreyi Anantharaman

rachelle-hampton-headshot

Rachelle Hampton

headshot1

Patrick Redford

VictorPortraitWClaw

David Roth

Firefighters wash up after fighting the O'Brien Creek fire. Lolo national Forest, Montana, August 21, 1940.

Firefighters Wash Up After Forest Fire

Defector Reads A Book

Racing With Mortality In Norman Maclean’s ‘Young Men And Fire’

shams-2

Year In Review

Presenting The 2024 Shams Charania Award For Excellence In Divulging Of Information Through Syntax Comprehended By Many

Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks celebrates the win on the logo after the quarterfinal game of the Emirates NBA Cup against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on December 11, 2024 in New York City. The Atlanta Hawks defeated the New York Knicks 108-100 to advance to the semifinal round. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Atlanta Hawks v New York Knicks: Quarterfinals – Emirates NBA Cup

Trae Young Goes For Cheap Heat In The Knicks’ House

ugly-baby-salad

Food

I Loved How Much Ugly Baby Hated Me

-b9trzb

Lauren Theisen

GettyImages-546486409(1)

Defector Music Club

Defector Music Club Talks TV On The Radio On The Internet

Moritz Wagner #21 of the Orlando Magic reacts in the first half of a game against the Chicago Bulls at Kia Center on November 27, 2024 in Orlando, Florida.

moe-wagner-orlando-magic

It’s Moe Wagner, Not Mo Wagner

Tari Eason and Amen Thompson defend a shot in a Rockets game against the Clippers.

tari-eason-amen-thompson-rockets

Hell Is Being Defended By Tari Eason And Amen Thompson

Kyle Kuzma #33 of the Washington Wizards reacts against the Chicago Bulls during the second half in the Emirates NBA Cup at Capital One Arena on November 26, 2024 in Washington, DC.

Kyle Kuzma

The Washington Wizards Won Nothing In November

Iga Swiatek of Poland in action against Varvara Gracheva of France in the second round on Day 4 of the Cincinnati Open at Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 14, 2024 in Mason, Ohio

Iga Swiatek

Iga Swiatek Suspended After Testing Positive For Banned Substance

Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets in the first half at Crypto.com Arena on November 23, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

Denver Nuggets v Los Angeles Lakers

How Can He Slap?

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - NOVEMBER 17: Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves interacts with Rudy Gobert #27 in the third quarter against the Phoenix Suns at Target Center on November 17, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Suns 120-117. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

Phoenix Suns v Minnesota Timberwolves

Rudy Gobert Found A New Guy To Annoy

Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates after the men's singles final match at the French Open.