Ethan Strauss, former Golden State Warriors beat writer for The Athletic and ESPN, pivoted to Substack in 2021 after just two years at the former.
Having been courted by fans (and then Golden State Warriors star Harrison Barnes) to join The Athletic, Strauss gave Warriors fans insightful content over his two years at the talk-of-the-town sports media start-up, including a book that delved into what went down when NBA superstar Kevin Durant left the Warriors, titled ‘The Victory Machine’.
Part of him, though, wanted more autonomy in broaching subjects well beyond what was happening on the court. Scratching that itch led to the House of Strauss Substack, which he started in 2021. Since then, Strauss has once again found his footing, catering to over 7,000 subscribers.
In this interview, Strauss talks about his time at The Athletic, and whether it’s truly the promised land for sportswriters. He also talks about the pros and cons of going out on his own and starting a Substack, and what budding NBA journalists need to keep in mind when trying to make a name for themselves in a sport that’s filled to the brim with competition.
