Innovative New Approach to Enhance Analysis of Trends & Keys

Dean Oliver, a nationally recognized leader in cutting-edge sports statistical analysis who has headed the Denver Nuggets research efforts as director of quantitative analysis since 2006, has joined ESPN as director, production analytics.  This new group, a subset of the stats and information area within ESPN’s production department, is comprised of researchers who focus on creating evaluation metrics for all sports.  The goal is to put ESPN at the cutting edge of sports statistical analysis and help enhance storytelling across platforms.  Oliver will help set the direction of this group and will use his expertise to lead many of the projects.

“There have been quantum changes in the culture of sports teams’ front offices, with a changed focus in statistical analysis to make major personnel decisions, and to bring someone directly from that arena strengthens our team,” said John A. Walsh, ESPN executive vice president and executive editor.  “As teams and fans become more familiar with the latest in sophisticated analysis of what really matters, it is incumbent upon ESPN to lead the conversation and delve deeper into the process behind the headlines.”

A point guard and later an assistant coach at Caltech, Oliver earned a Ph.D. in engineering, focused on using statistics to make forecasts, from the University of North Carolina in 1994.  For the Nuggets, he provided insight for management on trades, free agency, draft analysis, and coaching issues. Previously, he served as statistical advisor to Seattle Supersonics management and coaching staff from 2004-06.

Oliver’s book, Basketball on Paper, has been widely praised as the best book on statistical analysis in basketball. Hall of Fame coach Dean Smith and baseball analytics pioneer Bill James both provided cover praise for it. The book forms the basis for much of the statistical analysis done in basketball at the NBA, college, and international levels. He is currently on the editorial board of the Journal of Quantitative Analysis of Sports and the executive board of the Association of Professional Basketball Research. He is also a member of the North American Association of Sports Economists.

“Bringing Dean onboard and starting the analytics team is a natural progression for ESPN,” said Edmundo Macedo, ESPN vice president, stats and information. “The use of ‘Next Level’ advanced statistics has allowed us to dig deeper and get beyond the myths to the real ‘how and why’ behind a storyline. Who really is the best clutch player? Was it really such a big gamble to go for it on fourth-and-one? Who is the best all-around player in the game?  Dean and the analytics team will allow us to raise the bar even farther.”

This is the latest move to date by ESPN to bring fans closer to the use of advanced statistics that is permeating front offices across the sports landscape.  NBA analyst and former Portland Trail Blazers VP Tom Penn uses advanced statistics as he goes “Beyond the Box Score” on ESPN studio shows.  Peter Keating writes a regular Next Level column for ESPN the Magazine.  ESPN.com’s John Hollinger has developed the landmark Player Efficiency Rating to gauge NBA performance and his column uses that metric and others to advance storylines. ESPN Radio host Brian Kenny regularly invokes Sabermetric stats on his nightly show.   ESPN’s stats & information group supports TV and digital platforms with Next Level information and maintains a blog on ESPN.com.

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