Kevin Pelton
@kpelton.bsky.social
NBA and WNBA writer for ESPN. Co-host of the Fabulous @peltoncast.bsky.social. Pocket square enthusiast. Using numbers to learn about the game.
As I've often said, the modern NBA is dominated by international stars like Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyshawn George and RJ Barrett.
(Incidentally, this is cumulative, so no Jokic because the Nuggets have played only one game.)
(Incidentally, this is cumulative, so no Jokic because the Nuggets have played only one game.)
October 25, 2025 at 5:38 PM
As I've often said, the modern NBA is dominated by international stars like Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyshawn George and RJ Barrett.
(Incidentally, this is cumulative, so no Jokic because the Nuggets have played only one game.)
(Incidentally, this is cumulative, so no Jokic because the Nuggets have played only one game.)
Final 2025-26 wins projections, updated from my story earlier this month (www.espn.com/nba/story?id...) with injuries and transactions during training camp.
October 21, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Final 2025-26 wins projections, updated from my story earlier this month (www.espn.com/nba/story?id...) with injuries and transactions during training camp.
A reminder for the aggregators.
October 14, 2025 at 8:44 PM
A reminder for the aggregators.
In The House for Game 5 of Aces-Fever with the second spot in the WNBA Finals to be decided tonight.
October 1, 2025 at 1:50 AM
In The House for Game 5 of Aces-Fever with the second spot in the WNBA Finals to be decided tonight.
Here at Blazers media day, where if you want to understand their offseason, team president of business operations Dewayne Hankins said Portland ranked fifth in the NBA in new season tickets sold this summer. Rookie Yang Hansen was just one part of that excitement.
September 29, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Here at Blazers media day, where if you want to understand their offseason, team president of business operations Dewayne Hankins said Portland ranked fifth in the NBA in new season tickets sold this summer. Rookie Yang Hansen was just one part of that excitement.
Storm guard Lexie Brown declined to take questions about the WNBA during exit interviews, instead making a statement emphasizing that she's healthy after missing 28 games in 2023 due to what was later diagnosed as Crohn's disease and the last 24 games of 2024. Brown was available for 40 of 44 games.
September 20, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Storm guard Lexie Brown declined to take questions about the WNBA during exit interviews, instead making a statement emphasizing that she's healthy after missing 28 games in 2023 due to what was later diagnosed as Crohn's disease and the last 24 games of 2024. Brown was available for 40 of 44 games.
In the context of the story, I'm referring to Brook Lopez's defensive peak, which was obviously several years ago. I was actually making the argument that Myles Turner is in fact a very good fit with the Bucks.
September 18, 2025 at 7:16 PM
In the context of the story, I'm referring to Brook Lopez's defensive peak, which was obviously several years ago. I was actually making the argument that Myles Turner is in fact a very good fit with the Bucks.
Here's how a Bucks blog aggregated that piece this week, more than two months after the fact:
September 18, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Here's how a Bucks blog aggregated that piece this week, more than two months after the fact:
Is Dominique Malonga the Storm's best player? Many are asking.
September 17, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Is Dominique Malonga the Storm's best player? Many are asking.
The great @zachlowenba.bsky.social often refers to using "VORPs and SCHNORPs" in award evaluation. I put together a similar set of data for WNBA awards and wanted to share the top offense/defense ratings and overall wins above replacement from averaging four advanced metrics.
September 11, 2025 at 8:02 PM
The great @zachlowenba.bsky.social often refers to using "VORPs and SCHNORPs" in award evaluation. I put together a similar set of data for WNBA awards and wanted to share the top offense/defense ratings and overall wins above replacement from averaging four advanced metrics.
Was mentioned last night that the Storm clinched their 20th playoff appearance. That ties Seattle with Los Angeles and New York for most in WNBA history in three fewer seasons. Only the expansion Valkyries (1-for-1) have made it a higher percentage of the time than the Storm.
September 10, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Was mentioned last night that the Storm clinched their 20th playoff appearance. That ties Seattle with Los Angeles and New York for most in WNBA history in three fewer seasons. Only the expansion Valkyries (1-for-1) have made it a higher percentage of the time than the Storm.
Sue Bird has mentioned Naz Hillmon's improvement as a 3-point shooter several times on her podcast and how she can't remember anyone making a similar jump. Hillmon has the most 3s (45) above her previous career total (1) in a fourth WNBA season or later on record.
September 2, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Sue Bird has mentioned Naz Hillmon's improvement as a 3-point shooter several times on her podcast and how she can't remember anyone making a similar jump. Hillmon has the most 3s (45) above her previous career total (1) in a fourth WNBA season or later on record.
The Chicago Sky's shot chart for the second quarter is a work of art.
August 31, 2025 at 1:47 AM
The Chicago Sky's shot chart for the second quarter is a work of art.
Boy, have I got some news for this source about how the Luka Doncic trade went down!
August 20, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Boy, have I got some news for this source about how the Luka Doncic trade went down!
I'd say the appropriate way to think about it is what if we ignore close games altogether and just look at record in games decided by six points or more. And that bears remarkably little resemblance to the actual WNBA standings.
August 18, 2025 at 4:20 PM
I'd say the appropriate way to think about it is what if we ignore close games altogether and just look at record in games decided by six points or more. And that bears remarkably little resemblance to the actual WNBA standings.
The headline writers inevitably had to shorten things, but this is addressed in the story.
August 18, 2025 at 4:07 PM
The headline writers inevitably had to shorten things, but this is addressed in the story.
Good night, Vancouver!
August 16, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Good night, Vancouver!
Visualizing WNBA single-game scoring by age in the wake of Dominique Malonga's back-to-back 20-point games as a teenager. Most American players don't enter the league until at least age 21 based on draft eligibility rules, so the youngest high scorers are all international players.
August 11, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Visualizing WNBA single-game scoring by age in the wake of Dominique Malonga's back-to-back 20-point games as a teenager. Most American players don't enter the league until at least age 21 based on draft eligibility rules, so the youngest high scorers are all international players.
The NBA would be more fun with Kenny Lofton Jr. on a team.
July 18, 2025 at 2:52 AM
The NBA would be more fun with Kenny Lofton Jr. on a team.
Made it to the Thomas & Mack Center in time for the showdown of this year's top two picks, where the other lottery pick on the court (Carter Bryant) has stolen the show with his on-ball defense.
July 12, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Made it to the Thomas & Mack Center in time for the showdown of this year's top two picks, where the other lottery pick on the court (Carter Bryant) has stolen the show with his on-ball defense.
I don't really buy the conventional wisdom that the Pacers will benefit if Game 7 is called tightly. Oklahoma City has won the five playoff games with the most total fouls across both teams, and the three Thunder Finals wins have had the most combined fouls in the series.
June 22, 2025 at 11:51 PM
I don't really buy the conventional wisdom that the Pacers will benefit if Game 7 is called tightly. Oklahoma City has won the five playoff games with the most total fouls across both teams, and the three Thunder Finals wins have had the most combined fouls in the series.
A little bit of a different look to this week's leaderboard of my wins above replacement player (WARP) metric on a per-game basis with Kayla McBride now eligible (and making 55% of her 3-point attempts) and Gabby Williams cracking the list as the Storm's top player thus far.
June 9, 2025 at 9:29 PM
A little bit of a different look to this week's leaderboard of my wins above replacement player (WARP) metric on a per-game basis with Kayla McBride now eligible (and making 55% of her 3-point attempts) and Gabby Williams cracking the list as the Storm's top player thus far.
A familiar trio has reemerged atop the leaderboard for my wins above replacement player (WARP) metric on a per-game basis so far this WNBA season, but shout out to Allisha Gray up there with them.
WARP is a box-score value metric. More explanation here: sonicscentral.com/warp.html
WARP is a box-score value metric. More explanation here: sonicscentral.com/warp.html
June 2, 2025 at 5:45 PM
A familiar trio has reemerged atop the leaderboard for my wins above replacement player (WARP) metric on a per-game basis so far this WNBA season, but shout out to Allisha Gray up there with them.
WARP is a box-score value metric. More explanation here: sonicscentral.com/warp.html
WARP is a box-score value metric. More explanation here: sonicscentral.com/warp.html
Ready for my 24th season of covering the Storm as they take on Phoenix in tonight's home opener.
May 24, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Ready for my 24th season of covering the Storm as they take on Phoenix in tonight's home opener.
Because the East semifinals upsets happened simultaneously, I don't think people have quite processed how shocking they were. Via SportsOddsHistory.com, they were two of the nine biggest playoff upsets in the 2000s by pre-series odds.
May 18, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Because the East semifinals upsets happened simultaneously, I don't think people have quite processed how shocking they were. Via SportsOddsHistory.com, they were two of the nine biggest playoff upsets in the 2000s by pre-series odds.