JJ Redick & Stephen A. Smith Go At It on ESPN's First Take

JJ Redick and Stephen A. Smith traded shots on ESPN's First Take over the possibility of LeBron James retiring this offseason, where Redick took exception to Smith's take on the matter. Rick Strom breaks it down. Give us your thoughts in the comments below!

Rick Strom

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[thepoorblackman]

This was about athleticism. If you have not played nba basketball, you don't know what it feels like to be on the floor for 40 minutes, let alone 20 years in the NBA.

[jamesmaguire]

He wasn’t saying “you didn’t play” to imply that Stephen a didn’t know anything. He said it to imply that Stephen a doesn’t know what your body feels like after playing 20 years in the nba

[travonlewis]

JJ be emotional af but people aren’t ready for that convo

[robotclark]

I think you missed the point here. No you don't need to have played professionally to understand the game. But to know that feeling at the end of 82 game regular season, and intense playoff run to the Conf. Finals, yeah would have had to have experienced that, to truly understand those emotions. Reddick knows what that's like, Stephen A doesn't.

[beahr]

All the coaches that were named.. were coaches. A part of the game at a big level for years and years. JJ was talking about a feeling or thought after playing a long series and being at an older age. Something that would have to play the game to know that feeling

[AndresGarcia-wrep]

Don’t compare NBA coaches to reporters

[raybevelacqua]

Jj never said “you haven’t played therefore you cannot talk about the sport”. He said you don’t know about athletic mortality because you have not played at a high enough level for long enough to just brush of his comments about lebron the way Stephan A did. This is a horrible video, Stephan A needs to be checked for all the Bs he spews and I’m not saying JJ is always right but at least he checks him.

[steves]

I think the argument was that after 20 seasons in the NBA the body may be saying its Time to hang it up...Knowledge of the game has nothing to do with where you did or did not make it to collegiately etc..

[samwolde]

😂dude you seriously compared Coach Pop to Stephen A

[hoseajohn]

JJ aplogized quickly because he came to the realization that in his attempt to insult SA he may have created a bigger PR issue. SA went to a historically black college.

[cemmanuel]

I agree with you in terms of knowledge playing shouldn’t matter but when discussing injuries and the mental health aspect of the game of course playing matters more

[GC-eqrh]

Bruh come on, stephan A deserves what JJ said have you not watched how Stephen a talks about players with the conviction also being super disrespectful at times ? He dishes it he can take it

[raymondjoseph]

You’re taking what he said out of context, he clearly is saying he doesn’t understand first hand what playing professional does to the body

[bartolomy]

You should never apologize bro. I think you got the point across. He said he doesn’t understand and he will never.

[raniermendoza]

Stephen A always getting body slammed by JJ Reddick

[Gudda]

Go back and rewatch it. They were talking about fatigue nothing on the ones knowledge of the game.

[b.g.]

This isnt x's and o's dude. This is the wear and tear an NBA season (make that 20) has and puts on your body. It would be the same thing as someone in the military commenting to someone who is also in the military, but has seen serious life and death action overseas. There's a major difference; one that can only be explained through experience.

[chrisglover]

He wasn't talking about KNOWLEDGE of the game. He was talking about how your body feels playing the game. That is something ONLY a former player knows. He wasn't saying SAS couldn't TALK the GAME but he was saying his PLAYING career doesn't equal knowing how the body and mind reacts after a LONG career.

But if there is anything that you hate more that SAS or black men giving their opinion is when JJ redick gives his....

[FatbobRell]

Knowing the game and knowing what an athlete goes through are 2 different things

[joeywilson]

Talk about somebody besides LeBron 24/7. Stephen A. Smith is WAY overused by ESPN and his personality is tiring.