Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick seemingly called out NBA media over specific storytelling angles in December. Redick said that the media should be uplifting the game as opposed to speaking poorly of it, which is something that has occurred amid the recent NBA ratings issues. Charles Barkley apparently took Redick's comments as a direct criticism toward TNT's Inside the NBA, video via Barstool Sports.
Charles Barkley just eviscerated JJ Redick on national tv pic.twitter.com/fjja7HLtw5
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 3, 2025
"He said something about we're the reason people ain't watching this crappy product we got," Barkley said. "Us, like we are out there jacking up 100 threes a night... JJ, you come for the king, you better not miss. I can get you brother, I got your Lakers games. You can't hide them flaws they got."
Was Barkley nearing the end of his rant? Not exactly. The NBA Hall of Famer continued by throwing more shots at the Lakers head coach as Inside the NBA displayed highlights of Thursday's Boston Celtics-Minnesota Timberwolves game.
"You're just a dead man walking," Barkley continued. "They got rid of Frank Vogel who did a good job, they got rid of Darvin Ham who did a good job. You came out there thinking you were going to change things with that same ugly girl you went on a date with... He came in there thinking 'I can make this thing work.' The h*ll you can. You can put some makeup on that pig... The Lakers stink, man."
Redick's comments, which were made in mid-December, were not necessarily directed specifically toward Inside the NBA. However, the show has been known to criticize today's game at times, especially given the attention-catching amount of three-pointers being attempted per game.
Is JJ Redick's point valid?
Redick simply believes that NBA media should do a better job of uplifting today's game. He thinks that constant criticism could lead to viewers opting not to watch games.
Although Inside the NBA is certainly guilty of bashing the modern NBA's playstyle at times, the show also happens to be a favorite among fans. Charles Barkley always speaks his mind, something many fans respect about him. Shaquille O'Neal also doesn't hold back. Kenny Smith provides interesting angles while Ernie Johnson is a beloved host.
Again, Redick did not specifically call out Inside the NBA. One has to imagine that Inside the NBA only helps ratings since so many viewers love watching it. Viewers are more likely to watch games on TNT with Inside the NBA airing before, during halftime and after games.
One can argue that Redick's point is valid. However, honesty is of the utmost importance and that is exactly what a show like Inside the NBA offers. Barkley clearly wasn't a fan of what Redick had to say, but the Lakers coach has already dealt with plenty of criticism in his short time as the team's coach.
Will Redick respond to Barkley? Only time will tell, but one has to imagine he will be asked about the Inside the NBA star's comments sooner rather than later.