J.J. Redick is Proving Why More NBA Players Should be Analysts
Could This Signal a Significant Change in Sports Media?
The last couple of weeks have seen J.J. Redick speak his mind on national television — with some takes being agreeable and others, not so much. Patrick Beverley has been doing the same thing, albeit a little more honest — as Keyshawn Shaahid suggests, maybe a tad “too honest” for sports media.
Whether you like them or not, Redick and Beverley are among several NBA players continuously proving why they should be sitting in studios when their careers are over.
Now, there are already plenty of players-turned-analysts on TV today — most of the “Inside the NBA” crew, Kendrick Perkins, Dennis “D3” Scott, Ro Parrish, the list goes on and on. I’m of the belief that even more players need to be in the studios next to the sports media personalities we see today.
When Redick was on ESPN, even in months past, he garnered plenty of positive attention with most of his takes and even checked established sports analysts on some of theirs.
Beverley has been doing the same with “Get Up” and “First Take”, joining Redick and Stephen A. at times to debate on various topics and give fans a real treat.
Keyshawn brought up some great points in his article about Patrick Beverley’s recent appearances on ESPN. Fans are enjoying this newfound player perspective, and while many may not agree with what he or Redick say, there’s still a level of respect given to them because of their honesty.
Even though sports journalism has provided plenty of hot takes and differing perspectives, players getting into sports media are giving us something that’s never been seen before: true stories and ideas from people who actually played the game. That’s not a knock on other established sports journalists who have made an impact in media, but it’s refreshing to hear things we wouldn’t normally hear on a typical sports show. Sports networks have been embracing the player perspective more in recent years, and I believe that it’s been great to watch.
The players’ takes are not limited to television, though. Current and former NBA hoopers have been rising with their own platforms, primarily through podcasting. Whether it’s Duncan Robinson co-hosting “The Old Man and the Three” or Gilbert Arenas on his self-titled show “No Chill with Gilbert Arenas”, athletes are finding new ways to connect with sports fans through other mediums, providing largely unfiltered content on topics people want to hear about.
All of this goes to show that NBA players are becoming part of a great change in sports media, coexisting with the reporters and in-studio hosts who covered them for years. It’s really been a pleasure to watch, and hopefully it’s something that continues for years to come.
