Baxter Holmes is a senior writer for ESPN. He won the James Beard Award for his 2017 article, “The NBA's Secret Addiction.”

“If there’s anything I’m really fighting for it’s people’s memory. I love the notion of trying to write a story that sticks with people. And that requires really compelling characters. It requires in-depth reporting — you have to take people on a journey. It needs to be so rich and something they didn’t know. I look for a story that I can tell well enough that it will hold up, that it will earn someone’s memory.”

Thanks to Mailchimp, Substack, and Pitt Writers for sponsoring this week's episode.

@Baxter

Holmes on Longform

[00:25] "The Threat of Youth Basketball" (ESPN • 2019)

[01:00] "The NBA's Secret Addiction" (ESPN • 2017)

[01:15] "The Secret Team Dinners That Have Built the Spurs' Dynasty" (ESPN • 2019)

[01:20] "Lakers 2.0: The Failed Reboot of the NBA's Crown Jewel" (ESPN • 2019)

[03:02] Longform Podcast #226: Terry Gross

[30:40] "Inside the Corrosive Workplace Culture of the Dallas Mavericks" (Jon Wertheim and Jessica Luther • Sports Illustrated • 2018)

[43:10] Magic Johnson denies allegations on ESPN

[44:00] Holmes talks about response to his Lakers piece

[44:33] Longform Podcast #112: Don Van Natta Jr.

[58:54] "The NBA's Secret Wine Society" (ESPN • 2018)

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