Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick didn’t even say Charles Barkley’s name in his recent condemnation of the league’s broadcasters, but the Inside the NBA co-host retaliated during Thursday’s broadcast anyway.
“JJ, you’re coming for the king, you better not miss it, ’cause I can get you bro,” the 61-year-old Hall of Famer told Redick from the safety of TNT’s studios in Atlanta.
Barkley went on to describe Redick as a “living dead man” due to his team’s up-and-down season: “The Lakers suck, man.”
The uproar began more than a week earlier, when Redick was asked about the NBA’s disappointing television ratings during the first months of the season.
Since then, ESPN’s five Christmas Day games have drawn an average of 5.34 million viewers, marking an impressive 87 percent jump for the network compared to the previous season. However, the NBA was facing an 18 percent Nielsen drop before the holidays, which many – including Barkley – have attributed to some specific criticisms of the league: too many three-point shots, teams resting stars too often and a general lack of competitiveness.
Speaking before a game against the Sacramento Kings on Dec. 19, Redick offered an emphatic rejection of the criticism facing the NBA. He also seemed to be referencing the Inside the NBA team.
Charles Barkley has been highly critical of NBA players’ over-reliance on three-point shooting.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick speaks with guard Max Christie on Tuesday in Los Angeles.
“I don’t think we’ve done a good job of telling stories, of celebrating the game,” Redick said. ‘If I’m a casual fan and every time I turn on the TV you tell me the product sucks, well, I’m not going to watch the product. And that’s really what’s happened over the last 10 to 15 years. I don’t know why. I don’t find it funny.
Once again, Redick did not mention Barkley or reference Sir Charles’ co-hosts Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith or Ernie Johnson.
But Barkley took the comment as a criticism of his job anyway and spent most of a highlight reel criticizing the Lakers coach Thursday night.
“He said something about, ‘What are the reasons why people don’t see this shitty product we have?’, like we were out there drinking a hundred and three a night,” Barkley began.
Barkley’s criticism of the NBA’s overreliance on three-point shooting is nothing new, and the league’s players are once again on pace to set another record for attempts this season.
But even though Redick was one of the players who helped popularize the three-point shot in the 2010s, Barkley turned his attention to the first-year coach’s job security.
“JJ, you’re coming for the king, you better not miss it, ’cause I can get you bro,” Barkley said in his Alabama accent. ‘Remember I have your Lakers games. You can’t hide the flaws they have. You’re just a dead man walking.
(Left to right) Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley in Inside the NBA
Barkley was quick to remind Redick that his predecessors were fired in Los Angeles with records similar to the Lakers’ current 19-14 mark.
“They got rid of Frank Vogel, who did a good job,” Barkley said. ‘They got rid of Darvin Ham, who did a good job. You went out there thinking you were going to change things with that same ugly girl you went on a date with.
“He came in thinking, ‘I can make this work,'” Barkley continued. Heck, you can! Make up that pig! The Lakers suck, man.
As always, Barkley received a lot of praise for his commentary.
“I hate the NBA but I still love Charles,” one person wrote on X. “Damn, he’s funny.”
“Charles Barkley is so funny,” added one fan.
Another responder commented: “That’s why he’s Sir Charles.”
But not everyone was on Barkley’s side.
“Chuck is just proving JJ’s point,” one fan wrote on the Lakers.” . That’s all they do. They do not provide any analysis or information about the game. They barely watch basketball.