Charles Barkley vs. JJ Redick: The NBA Ratings Beef Heats Up
Run, hide, or face it head-on—NBA ratings discourse is unavoidable. But when Charles Barkley enters the fray, it becomes even more explosive. On Thursday night’s episode of Inside the NBA, Chuck took aim at comments made by Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick about declining NBA viewership last month.
holy shit charles barkley just went IN on JJ Redick😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/QZZ94hTSJP
— KingCharge (@KingCharge) January 3, 2025
“He said something about, ‘What’re the reasons people ain’t watching this crappy product we got,’ like we out there jackin’ up a hundred threes a night,” Barkley began, his voice laced with sarcasm. “JJ, you come for the king you better not miss, because I can get you brother. Remember I got your Lakers’ games. You can’t hide them flaws they got. You just a dead man walking. 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 gonna change things with that same ugly girl you went on a date with.”
Even Ernie Johnson, the show’s host, attempted to steer the conversation back to the pre-planned highlight reel but Barkley refused to be silenced.
“He came in there thinking, ‘I can make this thing work.’ Hell you can! Put some makeup on that pig! The Lakers stink, man,” Barkley concluded, leaving no doubt about his displeasure with both the Lakers and their coach.
This exchange stems from Barkley’s ongoing criticism of the NBA’s direction, particularly the prevalence of three-point shots. Redick had previously voiced his frustration with broadcasters like Barkley, claiming they were painting the league in a negative light. Clearly, Barkley isn’t the type to back down from a challenge.
One thing’s for sure: basketball fans are in for a treat when the Lakers face off against Barkley and the TNT crew next time they’re on Thursday night. Mark your calendars for March 6th!