Louisa Thomas
Louisa Thomas, a staff writer at The New Yorker, is the author of three books, including “Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams.”
What Qinwen Zheng Could Mean for Tennis, and for China
The player known as Queenwen won Olympic Gold, and is moving through the early rounds of the U.S. Open.
How the Women of the N.W.S.L. Got Freedom That Their Male Counterparts Don’t Have
In its new collective-bargaining agreement, the pro soccer league has eliminated the draft. Free agency “was always the players’ power to begin with,” one executive said.
Paul Skenes Is a Heroic Figure in Baseball’s Antiheroic Age
The tall, young, mustachioed pitcher throws hard—so hard that his team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, is doing everything it can to be careful with him.
Tim Walz and the Lessons of High-School Football
The Vice-Presidential nominee was the defensive coördinator for a team that won the state title. His players say that he taught them more about togetherness than tactics.
U.S.A. Basketball Is Still an Awkward Fit at the Olympics
The team probably has too much talent to lose. Still, turning twelve superstars into a selfless whole may be an impossible task.
What Makes Katie Ledecky Great
The preëminent swimmer is unique not only for winning races by body lengths but also in her emotional and psychological approach.
The Unexpectedly Hopeful Paris Olympics
The Games have never lived up to all their ideals—some of which were dubious to begin with. And yet this year’s iteration, for all its flaws, has already inspired some positive change.
The Upstarts at Wimbledon
Despite a run of stability at the top of the game, women’s tennis is still open to surprise.
Élite Gymnasts Are Aging Up
It used to be assumed that a gymnast’s peak came around sixteen years of age. So why will the Olympic team be stocked with women in their twenties?
The Father-Son Drama of LeBron and Bronny James
At the upcoming N.B.A. draft, perhaps the biggest question is where a likely role player—whose dad is one of the greatest athletes of all time—will end up.
The Mental Challenge of Winning the N.B.A. Finals
Four games between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks have mostly come down to talent and strategy. But the mind-set of the players matters, too.
Caitlin Clark’s New Reality
Clark isn’t yet the best player the W.N.B.A. has ever seen. What can she learn from the player who is?
The Boston Celtics and What Greatness Looks Like
The team has dominated all season. Why does it have so many doubters?
The Kafkaesque Journey of the Oakland A’s
As the team’s current owner tries to move the franchise to Las Vegas, its situation has become hopeless and absurd.
.jpg)
There Was a Model for Luka Dončić. Now He’s Broken It
For years, the Dallas Mavericks star was compared to James Harden, whose footsteps he seemed to follow. But Dončić plays with a different kind of freedom.
Does the “Hot Hand” Exist in Hockey?
Nearly every hockey fan and player will tell you that, when the playoffs arrive, you have to go with the goalie who’s on a roll. Are they right?
The Baltimore Oriole Who Looks Like a Cherub and Swings the Bat Like a Legend-to-Be
Jackson Holliday has had perfect swinging form since he was three years old. As a major leaguer, though, he’s still in his infancy.
The Legend of Playoff Jimmy
For years now, just in time for the N.B.A. post-season, sure as the daffodils, Jimmy Butler has transformed into the world’s greatest basketball player—or something close to it.
How Women’s Basketball Became the Hottest Thing in College Sports
Talented and charismatic stars, including Caitlin Clark, JuJu Watkins, and Paige Bueckers, have made the games appointment viewing.
What Qinwen Zheng Could Mean for Tennis, and for China
The player known as Queenwen won Olympic Gold, and is moving through the early rounds of the U.S. Open.
How the Women of the N.W.S.L. Got Freedom That Their Male Counterparts Don’t Have
In its new collective-bargaining agreement, the pro soccer league has eliminated the draft. Free agency “was always the players’ power to begin with,” one executive said.
Paul Skenes Is a Heroic Figure in Baseball’s Antiheroic Age
The tall, young, mustachioed pitcher throws hard—so hard that his team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, is doing everything it can to be careful with him.
Tim Walz and the Lessons of High-School Football
The Vice-Presidential nominee was the defensive coördinator for a team that won the state title. His players say that he taught them more about togetherness than tactics.
U.S.A. Basketball Is Still an Awkward Fit at the Olympics
The team probably has too much talent to lose. Still, turning twelve superstars into a selfless whole may be an impossible task.
What Makes Katie Ledecky Great
The preëminent swimmer is unique not only for winning races by body lengths but also in her emotional and psychological approach.
The Unexpectedly Hopeful Paris Olympics
The Games have never lived up to all their ideals—some of which were dubious to begin with. And yet this year’s iteration, for all its flaws, has already inspired some positive change.
The Upstarts at Wimbledon
Despite a run of stability at the top of the game, women’s tennis is still open to surprise.
Élite Gymnasts Are Aging Up
It used to be assumed that a gymnast’s peak came around sixteen years of age. So why will the Olympic team be stocked with women in their twenties?
The Father-Son Drama of LeBron and Bronny James
At the upcoming N.B.A. draft, perhaps the biggest question is where a likely role player—whose dad is one of the greatest athletes of all time—will end up.
The Mental Challenge of Winning the N.B.A. Finals
Four games between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks have mostly come down to talent and strategy. But the mind-set of the players matters, too.
Caitlin Clark’s New Reality
Clark isn’t yet the best player the W.N.B.A. has ever seen. What can she learn from the player who is?
The Boston Celtics and What Greatness Looks Like
The team has dominated all season. Why does it have so many doubters?
The Kafkaesque Journey of the Oakland A’s
As the team’s current owner tries to move the franchise to Las Vegas, its situation has become hopeless and absurd.
There Was a Model for Luka Dončić. Now He’s Broken It
For years, the Dallas Mavericks star was compared to James Harden, whose footsteps he seemed to follow. But Dončić plays with a different kind of freedom.
Does the “Hot Hand” Exist in Hockey?
Nearly every hockey fan and player will tell you that, when the playoffs arrive, you have to go with the goalie who’s on a roll. Are they right?
The Baltimore Oriole Who Looks Like a Cherub and Swings the Bat Like a Legend-to-Be
Jackson Holliday has had perfect swinging form since he was three years old. As a major leaguer, though, he’s still in his infancy.
The Legend of Playoff Jimmy
For years now, just in time for the N.B.A. post-season, sure as the daffodils, Jimmy Butler has transformed into the world’s greatest basketball player—or something close to it.
How Women’s Basketball Became the Hottest Thing in College Sports
Talented and charismatic stars, including Caitlin Clark, JuJu Watkins, and Paige Bueckers, have made the games appointment viewing.