JJ Redick Tells Devin Booker About ‘Maturing,’ Uses Jae Crowder’s Reaction to 70-Point Game as Example

JJ Redick recently had Devin Booker as a guest on his The Old Man and the Three podcast, where the two talked about several topics. Talking about maturing, Redick used the Phoenix Suns star’s 70-point game as a reference to elaborate on his stance. In the process, he further shed light on the reaction of Jae Crowder to the memorable moment to display his growth in recent years.

The conversation circled Crowder’s mocking response on social media to the post-game team photo on the night. Despite a seemingly derogatory comment from him, Booker refused to let it control his emotions. Instead, the shooting guard admitted to only viewing the playful nature of the remark showcasing his off-court mindset.

“When the first thing I saw was Jae Crowder’s comment under, it’s like, ‘All them smiles and they still took an L’ and I just gave him a lot of bucket so I was like, ‘You can’t guard me though’. It’s friendly banter and I have been able to put that moment into perspective and it was just a great feature in my career for a season that we didn’t have much going,” he mentioned.

Following that, Redick made an open confession to the Suns star admitting how he initially sided with Crowder’s response. Soon after that, he highlighted the development in his viewpoint while acknowledging the uniqueness of the achievement.

“I was in it. I have matured. I also think it was a great accomplishment and it should be celebrated,” the 39-year-old stated.

The exchange certainly provided a snapshot into the mentality of the NBA community as the innate desire for drama remained constant. Yet, few people aimed to respect greatness by viewing it for what it represented. The glaring contrast in the reaction has stayed the same over the years, further adding volume to Redick’s words.

A close glimpse into the historic night of Devin Booker

On 24th March 2017, Booker made the headlines with his TD Garden performance. As per StatMuse, he scored 70 points in 45 minutes against the Boston Celtics to keep his franchise’s hopes alive. Despite his best efforts, the visitors lost 120-130, undervaluing his accomplishment.

The record remains a noticeable one to this day making it the 14th-highest points scored in a single game by an NBA player. At the same time, the defeat turned the achievement into the fourth-highest points scored in a loss as per StatMuse. Wilt Chamberlain continues to top the list with Booker trailing slightly behind.

Hence, the intention behind the comment from Crowder was apparent. Yet, his motive remained a questionable one considering the then-miserable season of the Suns. Thankfully, Booker never let the words get to his head as the duo later even fought side by side.