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Defector

Patrick Redford

A stock graph shows the value of the $TRUMP meme coin displayed on a mobile screen in this photo illustration in Brussels, Belgium, on January 19, 2025. (Photo by Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto)

Politics

Donald Trump Has Finally Come Up With A Use Case For Crypto

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - JANUARY 16: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers attempts to drive past Cason Wallace #22 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half at Paycom Center on January 16, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)

The Thunder Articulate A Philosophy Of Pressure

SAN ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 15: Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies tries to dunk over Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs in the second half at Frost Bank Center on January 15, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

Ja Morant Summited Mount Wembanyama

HOUSTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 13: Amen Thompson #1 of the Houston Rockets shoots the ball against Zach Edey #14 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half at Toyota Center on January 13, 2025 in Houston, 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 Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

The Basketball Is Really Good Right Now

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 10: Head coach Doug Christie of the Sacramento Kings reacts during the first half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on January 10, 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 Billie Weiss/Getty Images)

Doug Christie Gives The Surprising Kings The Freedom To Be Good

TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 3: Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic leaves the court following the NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on January 3, 2025 in Toronto, Canada.

Injury Luck Is All About Timing

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 7: Flames from the Palisades Fire burn a home on January 7, 2025 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Eric Thayer/Getty Images)

Climate

The Future Of Fire Cannot Look Like Its Present

A black-and-white image of some nerds doing computing and codebreaking at an IBM 7090 Data Processing System in the early 1960s.

Journalismism

One Weird And Unusual Trick To Deciphering And Decoding A Josina Anderson Report Or News Item

Capital

The Logic Of Private Equity Explains The Park City Ski Patrol Strike

MIAMI, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 12: Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat looks on against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Kaseya Center on December 12, 2024 in Miami, 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)

The Jimmy Butler Fiasco Is Getting Ugly

An Iranian rock climber scaling a climbing wall in Tehran.

Life Lessons

How Do You Win When You Compete With Yourself?

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 16: Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Sacramento Kings reacts after they lost to the Denver Nuggets in the second half at Golden 1 Center on December 16, 2024 in Sacramento, 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 Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

It Feels So Over In Sacramento

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 25: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks and Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs battle for a rebound during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden on December 25, 2024 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 Luke Hales/Getty Images)

Victor Wembanyama Crafted A Fittingly Weird Christmas Masterpiece

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Rachelle Hampton

Giri Nathan

David Roth

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

Defector Reads A Book

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

College Basketball

Doug Gottlieb Humbled By Michigan Tech, Life

Vermont players react to winning the game during the NCAA College Cup semifinal match between the Denver Pioneers and the Vermont Catamounts on December 13, 2024 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC.

Soccer

Vermont Won A Historic National Championship In Fittingly Dramatic Fashion

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 30: Dylan Harper #2 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights runs out the court before their game against the Texas A&amp;M Aggies during the Players Era Festival basketball tournament at MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 30, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Aggies defeated the Scarlet Knights 81-77. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)

Dylan Harper Is Big-Time

HOUSTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 11: Head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors reacts during the second half of a quarterfinal game against the Houston Rockets in the NBA Emirates Cup at Toyota Center on December 11, 2024 in Houston, 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 Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Steve Kerr Flips Out After Latest Warriors Meltdown

Mounted police officers remove the riot gear from their police horse outside the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN, site of the 2008 Republican National Convention.

Defector Up All Night

They Defunded The Ponies

Lauren Theisen

Defector Music Club

Defector Music Club Talks TV On The Radio On The Internet

Welch, who might soon need to Talk Tuah lawyer

Life's Rich Pageant

The Hawk Tuah Memecoin Rug Pull Is The Apotheosis Of Bag Culture

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 29: Jonathan Kuminga #00 of the Golden State Warriors looks on against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on October 29, 2024 in San Francisco, 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)

Jonathan Kuminga Makes His Case

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 02: Head coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter at Target Center on December 02, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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)

The Lakers Cannot Stop Embarrassing Themselves

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 01: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs and Keegan Murray #13 of the Sacramento Kings go for a loose ball in the first half at Golden 1 Center on December 01, 2024 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

This Is What Getting Left Behind Looks Like

Lily Yohannes of the United States looks to the ball