Professional background
Fred Katz Biography: NBA Journalist, Author and Podcast Host
Fred Katz covers the NBA for The Athletic, hosts the Knicks and NBA podcast Katz and Shoot, and is the author of Under the Bright Lights: The Revival of the New York Knicks.
This page concerns the NBA journalist Fred Katz, not the late jazz cellist and composer who shared the same name. See the Fred Katz identity clarification for more detail.
Short professional biography
This biography is for background reference; it has not been approved as reusable press copy.
Fred Katz is an NBA journalist who covers the league for The Athletic. He hosts Katz and Shoot, a podcast about the New York Knicks and the NBA, and is the author of Under the Bright Lights: The Revival of the New York Knicks.
This concise version contains only professional information supported by the sources reviewed. It intentionally excludes personal background and an unconfirmed formal job title.
Editors, producers and event organizers should consult media information for Fred Katz before using biography text in an introduction, listing or promotional item.
Professional biography
Fred Katz developed his NBA reporting career through a series of team-specific beats before moving into league-wide coverage. According to his Simon & Schuster publisher biography, he began covering the Oklahoma City Thunder for The Norman Transcript in 2016.
Katz joined The Athletic in 2018 as its Washington Wizards beat writer. That assignment continued his work covering an individual NBA organization while reporting on the games, personnel and developments surrounding the team.
From 2021 through 2024, the publisher biography says Katz covered the New York Knicks exclusively for The Athletic. His work remains closely associated with the Knicks through his reporting background, Katz and Shoot, and his book Under the Bright Lights.
After the Knicks beat, Katz moved into broader NBA reporting. This progression—from the Thunder and Wizards beats to exclusive Knicks coverage and then league-wide work—forms the central arc of his professional journalism career.
This summary does not attempt to reproduce the publisher’s biography or provide a complete year-by-year record. For dates and stage-specific context, explore the complete sourced career timeline.
Current professional work
League-wide NBA reporting
Katz covers developments across the NBA for The Athletic, building on his earlier experience reporting from individual team beats. Linked work is presented through original publication pages rather than republished locally.
New York Knicks coverage
The Knicks remain a significant part of Katz’s work through his prior beat reporting, ongoing analysis, podcast discussions, book and media appearances.
Katz and Shoot
Katz and Shoot is a Knicks and NBA podcast hosted by Fred Katz and produced by Andrew Claudio. Patreon controls current episode access, membership options, prices and benefits.
Under the Bright Lights
Katz is the author of Under the Bright Lights: The Revival of the New York Knicks, a Gallery Books title connected to his reporting and analysis of the franchise. As reviewed on October 20, 2026, Simon & Schuster listed a publication date of February 16, 2027; current status should be confirmed with the publisher.
Review publisher-aligned information about Under the Bright Lights
Biography sourcing and use
Last reviewed: October 20, 2026.
The career chronology on this page is based principally on the Simon & Schuster page for Under the Bright Lights and the publisher’s Fred Katz author profile. Host and producer credits for Katz and Shoot are supported by the show’s Patreon About page. These sources support the cited facts but do not by themselves authorize this website or its biography text.
Current sources use different formal role titles for Katz. A definitive title should be added only after it has been approved by Katz or an authorized representative. Until then, this page uses the neutral description that he covers the NBA for The Athletic.
No verified public booking representative or direct professional contact was established in the research used for this page. Media users should review the media information page for the status of approved biographies and materials rather than relying on unlicensed downloads or third-party contact databases.
If a career detail, role description or linked source appears inaccurate, consult the corrections and update policy.