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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

Tom Ley

Jon Gruden’s Quest To Coach Again Takes A Detour At The Dipshit Factory

Patrick Redford

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 23: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during a timeout against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first half at the Wells Fargo Center on October 23, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Joel Embiid Shoves Author Of Weird Column About Him Shaming The Memory Of His Dead Brother

Giri Nathan

Shams Charania speaks with Mike Miller (L) and Donnie McGrath during the Paolo Banchero All Star Weekend kickoff party

Journalismism

Shams Charania’s Syntactical Talents Are Headed Toward A Bristol-Based Location

Adrian Wojnarowski on ESPN discussing trade proposals for Jerami Grant

What Is The Cost Of A Woj Bomb?

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski looks on at a Lakers game

Adrian Wojnarowski Leaves The Scoopster Life For A Job With His Alma Mater

Ray Ratto

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick adjusts the microphones at his post-game press conference after the Patriots beat the Jets in January of 2024. He looks like he has a tummyache.

Bill Belichick, America’s Sweetheart

Gambling

‘ESPN Bet’ Is A Black Hole

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?

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, n+1, Texas Monthly, Air Mail, 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

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

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.