defector-orange-no-empty-space

lede_post_card_default

lede_post_card_stacked

lede_post_card_featured_post

lede_post_card_featured_post_3:2

lede_post_card_featured_post_1:1

lede_post_card_featured_posts_hero

lede_post_card_featured_posts_hero_3:2

lede_post_card_featured_posts_hero_1:1

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_post_card_square

lede_article_featured_16x9

lede_article_featured_16x9_full_width

lede_article_featured_3x2

lede_article_featured_3x2_full_width

lede_article_featured_1x1

lede_article_featured_1x1_full_width

lede_article_featured_flexible

lede_article_featured_flexible_full_width

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

ratto-ray_400x400

Ray Ratto

NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks onstage at the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum 2025 at The Plaza Hotel on September 24, 2025 in New York City.

Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum 2025

Adam Silver’s Job Is About To Get So Much Harder

Head coach Bruce Pearl of the Auburn Tigers at the media day before the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game on April 3, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas.

NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament – Final Four – San Antonio

College Basketball

Bruce Pearl Always Knew What He Could Get Away With

Sean Kuhn

An Immaculate Grid filled in with the most-remembered people from the Defector/Immaculate Grid collaboration week.

defector-summary

Let's Remember Some Guys

Who Gets Remembered? Crunching The Numbers From 36,000 Immaculate Grids

headshot1

Patrick Redford

nbrmpj

Podcasts

The Defector Era Of ‘Nothing But Respect’ Is Here, With Maitreyi Anantharaman And David Roth

VictorPortraitWClaw

David Roth

Isabelle Harrison and Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty making some fantastic What Can You Do faces on the bench during a July 25 game against the Phoenix Mercury.

Phoenix Mercury v New York Liberty

A Huge W, With Maitreyi Anantharaman

cropped-defector-circle_avatar512.png

Defector Staff

nbrring

Announcements

In Paradigm-Shifting Business Maneuver, Defector Acquires Basketball Podcast

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19</p>


Profile Pic

Chris Thompson

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - JUNE 22: Oklahoma City Thunder players celebrate with the Larry O'Brien trophy after winning Game Seven of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center on June 22, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. (Photo by Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Oklahoma City Thunder wins the NBA Finals

The Thunder Finished The Job

Jalen Williams

The Thunder Are Sharpening Their Knives

New York Knicks owner James Dolan attends the game between the New York Knicks and the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden.

Washington Wizards v New York Knicks

The Whole NBA Is Telling James Dolan To Piss Off

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is defended by Andrew Nembhard.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dribbles

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Can Make Anyone Look Bad

-b9trzb

Lauren Theisen

Ellie the Elephant, the New York Liberty mascot, performs before the game between the New York Liberty and the Connecticut Sun

Connecticut Sun v New York Liberty

WNBA

The Liberty Are Godzilla And The WNBA Is A Bunch Of Tall Buildings

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks to his right, seemingly at The Distraction logo, with a towel over his shoulder, after the team's Game 4 loss in the Western Conference Finals.

basketball