Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, a data scientist and bestselling author, is known for his brilliant use of data to upend conventional wisdom - often with humorous, surprising, and occasionally shocking results. His latest book, Who Makes the NBA, uses data to interrogate some of basketball’s biggest questions, consistently yielding unexpected insights. Here’s the kicker - he wrote the entire book in just 30 days after discovering Code Interpreter.

Unsurprisingly for a former quant, I had a blast chatting to Seth. Topics discussed include why so many NBA players are called Chris, whether basketball is due for a Moneyball moment, and why so many of us misunderstand the rags-to-riches story.

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, “Hmm, that’s interesting!”, check out our Substack.

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Show Notes:

Author, data scientist… comedian?
Using Code Interpreter to write a book in 30 days
The trait that makes it incredibly easy to become an NBA player
Why the best NBA player in history isn’t who you think it is
Is basketball due a Moneyball moment?
Why are so many NBA players named Chris?
What people get wrong about the rags-to-riches story
The hidden magic of data storytelling
Finding your audience
The danger of glamour
Keep it simple, stupid
Why the standard interview sucks
Doppelgangers & the power of A/B testing
The overdue revolution in health data
Why Google should be worried
Stated vs revealed preferences
The power of enormous data sets
Seth as World Emperor

Books Mentioned:

Who Makes the NBA?: Data-Driven Answers to Basketball's Biggest Questions; by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
Don't Trust Your Gut: Using Data to Get What You Really Want in Life; by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are; by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
What Works on Wall Street: A Guide to the Best-Performing Investment Strategies of All Time; by Jim O’Shaughnessy

Seth Stephens-Davidowitz — Who Makes the NBA? (EP.250)

Infinite Loops

Seth Stephens-Davidowitz — Who Makes the NBA? (EP.250)