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Defector

Ray Ratto

Pat Riley lifts his fist to imitate his statue after the reveal of the Pat Riley Lakers statue at Star Plaza outside the Lakers arena in February of 2026.

Pat Riley Is Going For It, For Better Or For Worse

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


Chris Thompson

Giannis Antetokounmpo Is A Heat

Doc Rivers Ends Bucks Tenure That Was A Huge Waste Of Everyone’s Time

Giannis Antetokounmpo sits on the sideline, in street clothes.

Giannis Antetokounmpo And The Bucks Are Feuding Right To The End

Giri Nathan

Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on during the first quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Fiserv Forum on February 06, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

An Interview With A Tenant Who Doesn’t Have Heat In Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Building

Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts against the Chicago Bulls

Giannis Antetokounmpo Has Become Exhausting

Patrick Redford

CHONGQING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 8: In this photo illustration, a person holds a smartphone displaying the Kalshi app page on the Apple App Store, with the Kalshi branding visible in the background, on February 8, 2026, in Chongqing, China. Kalshi, a U.S.-regulated prediction market platform that allows users to trade on the outcomes of real-world events, has surged in popularity and recently climbed to second place on the Apple App Store’s U.S. free apps ranking, highlighting growing public interest in event-based financial markets and outcome forecasting. (Photo illustration by Cheng Xin/Getty Images)

Podcasts

On The Breathtakingly Cynical Giannis Antetokounmpo Kalshi Investment

Giannis Antetokounmpo Jumps In Bed With Sleazy Prediction Market

Giannis Antetokounmpo looks bummed on the sideline.

Make Hay While The Sun Is Shining, By Losing In Earnest While Giannis Is Injured

Giannis Antetokounmpo Is Curdling

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 11: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during a timeout during the first half against the Boston Celtics at Fiserv Forum on December 11, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 John Fisher/Getty Images)

Giannis Antetokounmpo Is Trapped By His Unwillingness To Be The Bad Guy

Damian Lillard #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts from the court after an apparent injury during the first quarter in Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Fiserv Forum on April 27, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The Bucks And Damian Lillard End Their Brief, Forgettable Relationship

Tom Ley

Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks and Bennedict Mathurin #00 of the Indiana Pacers get into an altercation after Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on April 29, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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.

Bucks Collapse Leads To Giannis Antetokounmpo Delivering Fatherhood Lessons To Tyrese Haliburton’s Dad

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 27: Damian Lillard #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks is helped off the court after an apparent injury during the first quarter in Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Fiserv Forum on April 27, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

The Milwaukee Bucks Are Dead

Tyrese Haliburton rises up for the game-winner.

The Pacers Drew Up A Beauty And Were Rewarded With A Miracle

Giannis Antetokounmpo waits for a free throw.

How Serious Are The Milwaukee Bucks?

Luis Paez-Pumar

Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks lifts the championship trophy as he celebrates with teammates after the Bucks defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 97-81 to win the championship game of the Emirates NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena on December 17, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Bucks Rode A Big Third Quarter To An NBA Cup Win They Definitely Care About

Giannis Antetokounmpo smiles after pranking Jaylen Brown.

NBA Friendship Wobbled By Ill-Timed Fake Handshake

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 23: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 and Damian Lillard #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks look on against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on October 23, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Bucks defeated the 76ers 124-109. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

The Milwaukee Bucks Are Playing Like Milwaukee Butt

Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks sits injured on the court during the second half of a game against the Boston Celtics on April 09, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Calf Joins Doc Rivers’s Reputation In The Infirmary

Head Coach Doc Rivers of the Milwaukee Bucks speaks during a press conference after the game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on March 30, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 122-113.

The Bucks Are All Fucked Up

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 17: Doc Rivers looks on before the Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Lakers game on January 17, 2024 at Crypto.Com Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Bucks Call Doc Rivers Off The ESPN Bench

Victor Wembanyama and Giannis Antetokounmpo get their limbs tangled.

Wemby Versus Giannis Could Not Have Been Any Cooler

Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks exchanges words with Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers following a game at Fiserv Forum on December 13, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The Fellas Got In A Big Fight Over A Ball

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard in a game between the Bucks and Blazers