Tim Bontemps is a senior NBA writer at ESPN, where he covers the league’s biggest storylines both on and off the court. He also co-hosts The Hoop Collective podcast with Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon. He joined ESPN in 2018 and contributes reporting, analysis and features across platforms.
In his current role, Bontemps covers the NBA through a wide lens, focusing on team strategy, player movement and league trends that shape the sport’s future. His work spans breaking news, transactional coverage, and deeper reporting on the business around the league. He is known for his widely followed NBA MVP Straw Poll and co-authors a weekly news and notes column with Brian Windhorst. His coverage also extends to international basketball and Team USA, and he regularly contributes to ESPN’s reporting on free agency, the trade deadline, and the annual coaching carousel.
Before assuming his current role in 2024, Bontemps covered the NBA’s Eastern Conference with a focus on teams including the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks.
Prior to joining ESPN, he was the Brooklyn Nets beat writer for the New York Post from 2007 to 2015, and a national NBA writer for The Washington Post from 2015 to 2018. Over the course of his career, Bontemps has covered 10 NBA Finals.
A native of Randolph, New York, Bontemps earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from St. Bonaventure University. He serves as an advisor to the university’s Sports Journalism Master’s Program and lives in New York City with his family.