communications student in California State University, Fullerton, Stein started covering the NBA with his reportage for the Orange County Register.
Stein covered the NBA for more than five years at The Dallas Morning News, first as a Dallas Mavericks beat writer for three seasons (1997–2000) and then two seasons as an NBA columnist.
[1] Stein began writing for ESPN.com in 2000,[4] and signed on full-time in 2002 to serve as the site's senior NBA writer.
In October 2016, ESPN signed Stein to a multiyear contract extension.
[4] In November 2016, the Dallas Mavericks revoked Stein and fellow ESPN reporter Tim MacMahon's press credentials after MacMahon was shifted away from covering the team full-time.