Josh Orenstein
Lecturer, Sports Management; Senior Director, Basketball Strategy & Analytics, National Basketball Association (NBA)
Josh Orenstein is a data scientist at the National Basketball Association (NBA). Since starting at the NBA in 2014, he has led groundbreaking work in the Basketball Strategy & Analytics Department, focusing primarily on referee performance and on-court rule interpretation.
Prior to his work at the NBA, Orenstein held various positions in the sports industry. He worked for TrackMan Baseball, where he played a key role in introducing advanced metrics such as spin rate and exit velocity to baseball teams. His work helped revolutionize the way baseball teams evaluate and develop players, and his insights have been widely adopted throughout the sport.
Orenstein also has experience in sales and licensing. He began his career in group sales with the New York Mets and then moved to the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) where he worked with companies in the trading cards and collectibles business.
He received his master's degree in quantitative methods and modeling from CUNY-Baruch College and his bachelor's degree in marketing from The University of Arizona. In addition to his academic and professional achievements, Orenstein has diverse interests outside of work. He is an avid Formula 1 racing fan and enjoys trail running and collecting sneakers.