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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

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

The Celtics Made Sure Kevin Durant Had The Playoffs From Hell

David Roth

Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, seemingly looking at the Distraction logo.

Podcasts

The NBA Playoffs And Watching R-Rated Movies With Your Parents, With Rohan Nadkarni

Lonzo Ball Is Done, And So Are The Bulls

Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.

Dan McQuade

College Basketball

Men’s College Basketball Isn’t Played In Quarters Because Some Coaches Got Upset In 1954

The Lakers Are Now All But Dead

The Heroic Spurs Must Send The Vile Lakers Spiraling Into Hell

Portland’s Tanking Project Is Going Awfully Well

This Is Going To Be Absolutely Unbearable

Dwight Howard grimacing Dwight Howardishly next to the Distraction logo.

The Art Of Aging Gracelessly, With Ray Ratto

Kyrie Irving Won

Albert Burneko

Jamal Crawford Was The Coolest

Chet Holmgren, lanky man of Gonzaga, with The Distraction logo at upper left.

March Dumbness, With Ken Pomeroy

Justin Ellis

I Do Not Know What To Do With Positive Timberwolves News

Spencer Dinwiddie and the Mavs celebrate after a game-winner

Spencer Dinwiddie Doesn’t Look Like Dead Weight Anymore

Losing Is Turning LeBron Into A Sour Old Grouch

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 10: Ben Simmons #10 of the Brooklyn Nets walks on the court during halftime against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on March 10, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 129-100.

For Ben Simmons’s Return, Philadelphia Was Ready But The Sixers Weren’t

Welcome To Obscurity, Kristaps

Dave McKenna

at El Camino College on March 14, 2017 in Torrance, California.

High School Sports

D.C. Considers Granting High School Athletes NIL Rights

Here Come The Celtics

Georgetown Basketball Is The Most Depressing Thing On Earth

WNBA

WNBA Team Fined $500K For Not Making Its Players Fly Next To Schmucks Like You In Commercial

Maybe Now Markelle Fultz Can Finally Just Play Some Basketball

Ja Morant and teammates celebrate after his buzzer beater to end the first. half

Ja Morant Is An Unhuman Highlight Reel Right Now

D’Angelo Russell And The Timberwolves Might Be—Could Be! Possibly!—Good Now

John Loeppky is a freelance writer and theatre artist currently based in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. His work has appeared for outlets such as FiveThirtyEight, CBC, and Maclean’s.

John Loeppky

Parasports

Inside The Athlete Uprising That Brought Down A Wheelchair Hoops Legend

basketball