CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

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

Patrick Redford

A general view of an NBA on NBC camera during the game between the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 25, 2025.

Let’s Check In On The State Of The NBA’s National Broadcasts

Shams Charania breaks some news, grainily

Podcasts

Sources: The Opening Domino Of The 2025 Shamsy Selection Process Has Fallen Invariably, Will Spawn Numerous Pathways For Unique News

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 07: David Ellison attends the 48th Kennedy Center Honors at The Kennedy Center on December 07, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Shannon Finney/WireImage)

Capital

Paramount Launches Hostile Takeover Bid For Warner Bros. Discovery

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 01: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers on court against the Phoenix Suns at Crypto.com Arena on December 01, 2025 in Los Angeles, 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 Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

LeBron James’s Scoring Streak Tells The Story

Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison speaks during the Bloomberg Screentime conference in Los Angeles on October 9, 2025. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)

Paramount Is Trying To Bully Its Way Into Acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 01: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns reacts against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on December 01, 2025 in Los Angeles, 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 Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Dillon Brooks Wants The Last Word

Is It Even Possible To Cheat On ‘The Bachelor’?

BOSTON, MA - CIRCA 1984: Referee Earl Strom #12 looks on prior to the start of an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics circa 1984 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Strom was an NBA referee for 29 years. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Earl Strom

The Ray Ratto Guide To Officiating

James Harden #1 of the Los Angeles Clippers reacts after a no foul call during the first quarter against the Dallas Mavericks on November 29, 2025 in Inglewood, California.

The Clippers Are Circling The Toilet

TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 24: Brandon Ingram #3 of the Toronto Raptors waves to the crowd as he walks off the court after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers at Scotiabank Arena on November 24, 2025 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 Andrew Lahodynskyj/Getty Images)

Welcome To The ‘Nothing But Respect’ Media Hour

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 17: Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons reacts after he dunks in the first half against the Indiana Pacers at Little Caesars Arena on November 17, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Rick Osentoski/Getty Images)

Jalen Duren, Phenomenal Leaper, Has Made The Leap

Alexey Lutsenko of Kazakhstan and Team Israel - Premier Tech (C) with teammates prior to the 112th Tour de France 2025, Stage 1 a 184.9km stage from Lille to Lille / #UCIWT / on July 05, 2025 in Lille, France.

Cycling

The Israel–Premier Tech Cycling Team Is No More

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 10: Daniel Lurie, San Francisco Mayor attends 36th Annual Macy's Great Tree celebration presented by Ripple Lighting Ceremony at Union Square on November 10, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Kimberly White/Getty Images for Macy's)

Politics

Shocker: Appointing A 29-Year-Old Derelict Pet Store Owner With No Politics Experience To San Francisco Board Of Supervisors Not Actually A Masterstroke

Arts And Culture

Thomas Pynchon Is Laughing All The Way To The Brink

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 29: Luka Garza #52 of the Boston Celtics watches warmups before a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the TD Garden on October 29, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)

Which NBA Teams Are Cool?

leader of the US Postal Service team, US Lance Armstrong, leaves the podium of 17th stage of the 89th Tour de France in Cluses, 25 July 2002. Italy's Dario Frigo of the Italian Tacconi Sport team won the stage and Armstrong, retains his yellow jersey. AFP PHOTO OLIVIER MORIN (Photo by OLIVIER MORIN / AFP)

Lance Armstrong And The Myth Of The Natural Body

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - NOVEMBER 16: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors gets into a verbal altercation with a fan during the second quarter of an NBA game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on November 16, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

A Brand-New Draymond Green Incident Cycle Has Arrived Right On Schedule

Giri Nathan

Jeffrey Epstein and Alan Dershowitz discuss something.

Jeffrey Epstein Was The Unofficial Advice Columnist For The Elites

DALLAS, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 10: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks looks on during the first half against the Milwaukee Bucks at American Airlines Center on November 10, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. 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 Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

This Is Not The Start Cooper Flagg Wanted

A Brief Tour Through The Bad Parts Of The NBA, With Ock Sportello

Kings head coach Doug Christie looking confused.

The Kings Are An Abomination

Stephen A. Smith playing solitaire on his phone during the NBA Finals

Gambling

Stephen A. Smith And Other ESPNers Partner With Obscenely Scuzzy Mobile Casino

No! Don't even think about setting a screen

A Deep Dive Into The Architect Of The Miami Heat’s Weird New Offense, With Rohan Nadkarni

Tech leaders, including Sam Altman (C), CEO of OpenAI, and Tim Cook (2nd L), CEO of Apple, attend a dinner hosted by US President Donald Trump with tech leaders in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on September 4, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)

An Evening With Sam Altman And Steve Kerr

US Chess grandmaster Hans Niemann speaks to the press in the run-up to the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk Aan Zee, on January 11, 2024. Niemann was previously accused of cheating by former world champion Norway's Magnus Carlsen, but the two have now ended their feud. (Photo by Olaf KRAAK / ANP / AFP) / Netherlands OUT