5 Times JJ Redick & Stephen A. Smith Threw Down On "First Take"

JJ Redick always makes for entertaining viewing on First Take, namely because his sound basketball analysis is usually derailed by a shouting match with Stephen A. Smith. February 21 was no different, as the two got into a heated argument about the ignorance of NBA fans and Kevin Durant's leadership. However, as we like hot sauce with its Scoville in the millions here at HotNewHipHop, what better better way to commemorate this latest chapter of their feud by looking at some of the highlights from their past?

JJ Schools Stephen A. & Mad Dog About Kawhi Leonard

This moment came during the 2023 NBA playoffs. After the Suns dumped the short-handed Clippers, Stephen A. argued that the team needed a hard reset and to jettison the injury-prone Kawhi Leonard and Paul George because they were cooked. This prompted a four-minute rant from JJ, spearheaded by the devastating remark "listening to each of you right now, it's very obvious you have played zero high-level basketball and you do not understand the requirements of doing that."

Furthermore, JJ was proven right less than a year later. The Clippers are absolutely balling behind a healthy Kawhi and PG3. At the time of writing, they are 36-17 and third in the Western Conference.

JJ Calls Stephen A. "Irresponsible" For Warriors Hype

Our next moment goes all the way back to November 2021, when Stephen A. was ready to riding a 9-1, Klay Thompson-less Warriors all the way to an NBA championship. The first thing out of JJ's mouth in response? "It's irresponsible." Redick argued that perspective was needed because it was 10 games into the season and the Warriors had played the league's eighth-easiest schedule. Smith didn't explode at Redick like in some other examples of their beef but he definitely tried his best to "school the rookie".

Come the NBA Finals and Stephen A. was proven right. Klay came back from injury smoothly and Golden State beat the Celtics 4-2 in the Finals. The only thing Smith didn't land was James Wiseman, who would not return during the season and has never lived up to his second-overall pick billing.

JJ Crosses The Line When Taking College Shots At Stephen A.

You know a moment is heated when it ends with an on-air apology. This is perhaps the most infamous of their on-air beef. While discussing LeBron's potential retirement in the 2023 offseason, JJ struck below the belt. After Stephen A. dismissed JJ's take out of hand, JJ cut him off to throw some body blows. "You didn't play, Stephen A., you didn't play. You don't understand the athletic mentality. Three games at South Dakota Winston-Salem State? Doesn't count," JJ remarked.

While Stephen A. brushed off the comments in the moment, this one clearly struck a nerve. Later in the show, Redick apologized, saying that Stephen A. had "got under his skin" but he didn't mean to take things as he did and fully respected Stephen's alma mater.

JJ Blasts Stephen A.'s "Nostalgic Standard"

This moment technically happened on Get Up! and not First Take but it's still worth talking about. During the 2022 NBA Finals, Mike Greenburg was complaining that the modern game was softer than the play seen in the 80s and 90s. Stephen A. weighed in to agree, unsurprising given how much he hates the Rest Rule. However, JJ wasn't having any of it. "This nostalgic standard that you've set for players to the 80s and 90s, and then comparing us to it all the time like we are a substandard to that, it gets annoying."

This is one of the moments where Stephen A. dispensed with his standard "mhm, I'm listening" noises and just started yelling. The clip is nearly unwatchable as three grown men scream at each other, ironically, about grown men screaming (or not screaming) at each other.

Stephen A. Flunks Journalism 101

Sometimes journalists make mistakes. It happens to everyone. But sometimes those mistakes happen on live TV. During the 2023 finals, Stephen A. made the baffling declaration that Nikola Jokic wasn't known for his post play. A visibly confused JJ cuts him off to explain that over the last ten years, the most efficient half-court play in the entire NBA is a Jokic post up. Stephen A. proceeds to backpedal so cartoonishly that Bugs Bunny would be proud. Eventually, he manages to stammer out that he simply meant he sees Jokic more like Kevin McHale than Shaq.

As we said, everyone makes mistakes. But what you shouldn't do around JJ Redick is make basic errors about play efficiency, especially when trying to disparage a player like Jokic.

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