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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

Giri Nathan

Joel Embiid Continues His Summer Of Grousing

Tommy Craggs is an editor and writer, late of Game Theory With Bomani Jones on HBO, Mother Jones (no relation), HuffPost, Slate, Gawker Media, and Deadspin. He&#8217;s part of the <a href="https://flaminghydra.com/">Flaming Hydra</a> cooperative of independent writers and artists, and one of the many founders of the <a href="https://www.oaklandreviewofbooks.org/">Oakland Review of Books</a>.

Tommy Craggs

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) drives past New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones (35) and goes in for two during a WNBA game between the New York Liberty and the Indiana Fever

WNBA

Who Made Caitlin Clark A Good White Girl?

Patrick Redford

Lalas confusing and infuriating Daniel Sturridge

Soccer

Love Him Or Hate Him, Alexi Lalas Stinks At His Job

JJ Redick looks on before the game between the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers on March 2, 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 Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

After All That, The Lakers Hire LeBron’s Podcast Co-Host

Owen Lewis is a former Defector intern and has written for The Guardian, The Second Serve, The Athletic, and other publications.

Owen Lewis

Tennis

Defector Blogger Calls Aggregator Tweets “Pathetic” In Furious Takedown. Do You Agree?

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Elizabeth Cambage of Sichuan reacts during Game 5 of the Women's Chinese Basketball Association WCBA league Finals between Sichuan and Inner Mongolia in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, April 22, 2024.

Only One Person Can Save Us From Terrible WNBA Takes

Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever looks on during the game against the New York Liberty on May 16, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.

On The Caitlin Clark Beat, Everyone’s Plotting

Draymond Green Brings Nothing To ‘Inside The NBA’

Samer Kalaf

Journalismism

Second Iteration Of Deadspin Now Also Dead

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

Dan McQuade

Peter King pours a beer over Drew Magary’s head, in a still from a video from the old site.

10 Things I Think I Think On Peter King’s Retirement

Several YouTube screenshots of a screeching JJ Redick

Media Meltdowns

NBA Dead Period Filled By JJ Redick Reacting To Himself Blasting Doc Rivers

Dave McKenna

A screenshot of Ross Levinsohn standing at a lectern. He's speaking at the University of Colorado. A giant poster of an SI cover with Deion Sanders on it is behind him.

Debating The Finer Points Of Nepotism With Ex-SI Boss Ross Levinsohn

David Roth

October 16, 1972 Sports Illustrated cover and signed limited edition Wilt Chamberlain sports porcelain figurine on display during the press preview at Sotheby's Auction House on August 01, 2023 in Los Angeles.

Podcasts

Radicalized, Sleepy, And Sick Of Brock Purdy

Ray Ratto

October 16, 1972 Sports Illustrated cover and signed limited edition Wilt Chamberlain sports porcelain figurine on display during the press preview at Sotheby's Auction House on August 01, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Here It Is: One More Obit For Sports Illustrated

Kathryn Xu

A box of Sports Illustrated supplements. White bottles of various sizes. The most visible bottle is Sports Illustrated Nutrition: Collagen + Enzymes

Sports Illustrated As We Know It Appears To Be Dead

A view of an ESPN Monday Night Football logo on a TV camera.

If The NFL Buys A Stake In ESPN, Expect More Ass-Kissing

Year In Review

Presenting The 2023 Shams Charania Award For Excellence In Divulging Of Information Through Syntax Comprehended By Many

Zion Williamson Shows Signs Of Life After Nationwide Concern For His Conditioning

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels watches a game against the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 16, 2023 in Anaheim, California.

Shohei Ohtani’s Free Agency Drove The Ball Writers Batty

A.J. Hawk’s Role On ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ Seems To Be Easily Deceivable NPC

A person holds a microphone with the Racquet Magazine logo

Racquet Magazine’s Future Up In The Air After One Cofounder Removes The Other

A screenshot of Gizmodo Bot's author page, with one bad Star Wars blog

G/O Media’s Bot-Written Blogs May Be Unreadable, But At Least They’re Incorrect

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 29: Bill Simmons is seen on March 29, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by gotpap/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)