We all know that media reporting can be a bit of a mess. But the worst has to be the television analysts. Characters like Stephen A Smith and Skip Bayless are nothing but glorified fans. But we also have puritans like JJ Redick.
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They barely address any technical breakdowns of the games or the players. Their job is to talk about what is going on in the world of sports, at a very surface level.
No deep dive, no extensive coverage. And just yesterday, Stephen A Smith was doing his usual rounds of gossip. But JJ Redick was having none of it. a
And his shutdown, or shall we rather say pivot, was a fantastic way to dismiss the opinion of an armchair fan.
Also read: Cam Thomas Joins Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Giannis Antetokounmpo In A Rarified Statistic
Stephen A Smith wants to talk about Kyrie Irving but JJ Redick is not interested
Well, the big name at the moment is Kyrie Irving. The Brooklyn Nets point guard has demanded a trade and as the news vulture swirls around him, it is only natural that talking about him is what will bring you the TRP.
Stephen A knows this and on First Take’s segment last night, he decided to bring Irving into the conversation. In a space where there was no need to. And right after this was the tip-off for the Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors.
JJ Redick did not want to talk about the rumors. Instead, he was looking forward to the game. And he shut the discussion down in the best way possible.
“I will talk more about Kyrie Irving when a trade actually happens. I’ll be honest with you. I want to actually turn my attention to this [Mavs/Warriors] game.”
JJ Redick is the only true analyst on ESPN, whereas Stephen A. wants to see Kyrie Irving on the Lakers pic.twitter.com/zXpOsP7ggT
— ‘ (@_Talkin_NBA) February 5, 2023
Redick calls Stephen Curry a “top-5” offensive player of all-time
JJ’s response was simple, he wanted to pay attention to the big game at hand. A dysfunctional Warriors team, which ranks 17th in the league in the offense was up against a Dallas side with arguably the best young player in the league.
Redick said he was more interested in how this team has not been able to utilize the weapon that is Stephen Curry at his best. He also goes on to call Curry a “top-5″ offensive player of all time.
A title that is fitting and arguably will invite some debate. And Stephen A Smith? Well, he was shut. Zilch. No words from ESPN’s top”analyst”.