Dean Oliver currently works for ESPN, as the Director of Production Analytics. His job is to develop and to implement analytic methods across all sports.

Dean Oliver is a former player, coach, and scout, was serving in the front office of Denver Nuggets as the Director of Quantitative Analysis in 2006-2010. He previously served as a consultant for Seattle Supersonics for 6 years (2000-2006)

His longtime website, Journal of Basketball Studies, and subsequent 2003 book, Basketball on Paper, brought him recognition as a principal leader in the field. His research into the importance of pace and possessions, how teamwork affects individual statistics, defensive statistics, and the importance of a player's ability to create their own shot has been groundbreaking. His development of the Four Factors of Basketball Success (field-goal shooting, offensive rebounds, turnovers and getting to the free-throw line) also helps provide a useful framework for evaluation of players and teams.