Zach Lowe has a strong case to be the best sportswriter in America right now. of course, sports writer Lowe's role at ESPN over the past few years is only partially explained. He's a staple on TV as a panelist on NBA Today and host of the best podcasts covering the league. low post. In an era when it feels like 80% of sports media is talking heads and objective clickbait cries, Lowe provides original reporting while providing an analytical and tactical approach that never feels far-fetched to the everyday fan. I was able to cover the NBA through my lens.
On Thursday, ESPN made the surprising decision to fire Lowe The start of the 2024-2025 NBA season is just a few weeks away. i say amazing and it's not stunningThe reasons are a) ESPN has been laying off a lot of employees lately, and b) no one in the sports media can actually claim they have job security. Still, letting go of someone as talented and popular as Lowe simply because he deserves a high salary is an extremely frustrating decision for a company that claims to be the world leader in sports.
As my old friend Tom Ziller astutely pointed out,ESPN just spent billions of dollars to include it in the league's next media rights deal. A company that has a huge financial interest in getting people excited about the NBA would want to have talented, yet personable analysts on their side who are always discovering new things to get excited about across the league. Some people may think that it is deaf. Unfortunately, that would give ESPN too much credit.
Lowe is your favorite basketball writer's favorite basketball writer. Mr. Lowe, a former high school teacher turned crime reporter, got his big break as a sportswriter when he was hired to run Sports Illustrated's Points Forward blog. A few years later, he was hired by the legendary Bill Simmons. grantland There he fully emerged as the most important writer in the NBA. Lowe was one of the first online basketball writers to analyze offensive sets and defensive coverages like a coach. He has always had the ability to seamlessly incorporate analysis into his writing and podcasting without going over the heads of his readers or listeners. There are many Lowe disciples involved in online basketball writing these days, but few do it as well as he does.
Even after Grantland closed, Lowe remained curious as he juggled his increasing responsibilities at ESPN. He's a geek in the best sense of the word, diving into the minutiae of the league and the stories bubbling beneath the surface for all 30 teams. He's also a great reporter. Our final podcast on ESPN features a new show. los angeles lakers Coach JJ Reddick was a clinic on how to ask tough questions about records and force insightful answers from his subjects (Reddick talked about starting lineups and the Lakers' Danny (He revealed how he dealt with his interest in Harley.)
Despite growing into a big name with legitimate sources, Lowe still had an underdog mentality. When he wasn't bringing in current coaches or players on his podcast, he included a great mix of: big j Journalists and emerging bloggers. It's been heartwarming to see him give his big platform to talented analysts like Caitlin Cooper, Mike Prada, Nekias Duncan, and Steve Jones over the years. Raw Post carefully chose the line between entertaining and informative without making the hosts feel like they had inflated egos.
On a personal note, I was always grateful that Lowe took the time to honor his friend Jonathan Jerkes, who tragically passed away from cancer two years ago. Lowe began the podcast by detailing what made Tjarks a sharp writer with a unique perspective on the game. No one would have asked Lowe to do this, but he did it because Charles' life and work deserved more recognition. Lowe is just that kind of guy.
Lowe has so many great pieces that it's hard to choose a favorite. I fondly remember his breakdown. The Phoenix Suns' devastating pick-and-roll attack during the Monty Williams eraor dug deep into his How the Thunder cornered the 73-win Warriors. As Lowe has increased his podcasting and television appearances, his writing breakdowns have become a little less frequent. In recent years, he seemed to be encouraged by ESPN to talk more often about the Los Angeles Lakers and possible offseason moves. A potential silver lining to his departure from ESPN is that he may feel more empowered to pursue topics he's truly passionate about in his next home.
ESPN's decision will be upsetting to NBA fans who like smart reporting, but Lowe will be fine with it. He will either quickly find a job covering the league in another league or join a team's front office. As a forever hopeless Chicago Bulls fan, let me take this opportunity to implore them to fire Arturas Karnisovas and hire Lowe in his place.
ESPN still had a lot of good basketball coverage, but losing Lowe and Adrian Wojnarowski in the same offseason will hurt. The next time you turn on the TV and see two talking heads loudly spouting nonsense about basketball, just know that this didn't have to happen.
