Former NBA player and current ESPN NBA analyst JJ Redick has been extremely memorable thus far in his young media career.
The 15-year NBA veteran has been adamant about defending the current brand of basketball, while fellow First Take co-hosts Chris “Mad Dog” Russo and Stephen A. Smith have been uber critical of the current product.
This dates back to Redick saying that former Boston Celtics Hall of Fame guard Bob Cousy played against “firemen and plumbers,” which Russo disagreed with vehemently.
"[Bob Cousy] had 29 assists in an NBA game." – Chris Russo
“Well, he was being guarded by plumbers and firemen” – JJ Redick
Sir. 😲😂 pic.twitter.com/8qmeARNeOj
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 20, 2022
Wednesday’s Get Up show focused on the 1980s and 1990s era of basketball, which many old-school basketball fans appreciate far more than today’s game. Redick discussed how he believes that the romanticization of the 80s and 90s negatively affects basketball nowadays.
“This nostalgia that you guys have for the 1980s and 90′, which was awesome, is at the expense of our generation of players, and it has been for the last 15 years,” said Redick. “That is annoying, Stephen A.”
.@stephenasmith and @jj_redick got heated comparing the physicality of today's NBA to the 80s and 90s 👀
"This nostalgic standard that you've set for players to the 80s and 90s, and then comparing us to it all the time like we are a substandard to that, it gets annoying." pic.twitter.com/S8OCh2Cs8F
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) June 8, 2022
Mike Greenburg then added that it is the constant complaining and fishing for calls that are “ruining” today’s era of basketball, to which Redick responded by saying that every era of basketball had players doing that.
“The standard that you guys have set. The nostalgic standard of the ’80s and ’90s, and then comparing that to us all the time,” said Redick. “Like we are a substandard to that. It gets annoying. A lot of your arguments like complaining to the officials, that is the same thing players did back then. If you want to watch NBA Finals games that are 75-72, have your nostalgic era, please.”
These comments have certainly gotten the NBA world talking, with many applauding Redick for his supportive stance around the current era of players.
JJ Redick is on the damn money. Nothing is worse than the discount of present day players romanticizing about the past. It’s silly, and more importantly, incorrect
pic.twitter.com/jv2x5yeDBf— Gary Sheffield Jr. (@GarysheffieldJr) June 8, 2022
JJ Redick is the best thing to happen to ESPN in years https://t.co/mlrCdecKzO
— Brandon Pope TV (@BpopeTV) June 8, 2022
I’m telling you, wether you like it or not the athletes that are retiring and entering the media space are different. @KendrickPerkins and I keep telling you @jj_redick @CJMcCollum @Money23Green and many more coming pic.twitter.com/fOfZsyRSed
— Richard Jefferson (@Rjeff24) June 8, 2022
The best thing on all of sports TV these days is @jj_redick's inability to hide his complete and utter disgust when doing debates. https://t.co/2BkHJOaVgo
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) June 8, 2022
Keep fighting the good fight @jj_redick https://t.co/wMZ1eBHY1I
— Bryce Hayes (@nxtprodigy) June 8, 2022
This is far from the first time that Redick has gone at one of his co-hosts during a debate. He previously roasted Russo for his take regarding Draymond Green, who should “shut up and play.”
It is a reminder that as former NBA players continue to take media roles like this, they will be more and more vocal about things that put down the era that they played in.
[Get Up ESPN, AA]
