JJ Redick is among the more vocal and visible retired NBA athletes in sports media, and often goes out of his way to defend the modern generation of NBA players. On Tuesday in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Redick took issue with sports brand ClutchPoints over a post about how the league should be “scared” of James Harden and the Los Angeles Clippers.
The post laid out the stats behind the Clippers’ win streak and Harden’s significant impact since arriving via trade.
“The Beard has found his groove. The Clippers are on a roll. The rest of the league should be SCARED,” the ClutchPoints caption read.
In response, Redick called out the use of the word “scared” regarding NBA teams’ approach to their opponents.
“Please stop using the word scared when referring to the nba,” Redick wrote.
Redick has taken issue with the phrase previously on his podcast, explaining that it takes away from the competitive spirit he believes most NBA athletes bring to the court. To Redick, calling professionals scared insinuates that they are not fully present or confident while competing.
While it may not seem like much to a fan or social brand, it’s easy to see how such a barb could feel personal to an athlete. It is also a form of analysis that is not provable.
Whether it’s defending the modern NBA from Chris Russo on First Take or contrasting against the view that Nikola Jokic is not a dogged competitor, Redick has found a lane.
He’s unlikely to retrain social media staffers how to word their posts, but Redick has made an impression in this space by constantly reinforcing the greatness of his fellow hoopers on the court.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.