There is likely no bigger rivalry on sports television than Stephen A. Smith and JJ Redick on the set of First Take.
Redick, who played more than a decade in the NBA, has become a rising talent at ESPN and continues to grow his fan base when he goes at Stephen A. Smith.
The former Duke star and NBA lottery pick and ESPN star repeatedly exchanged shade during a discussion about the Western Conference Finals series between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers.
Redick accused Smith of not listening to his points about the state of the Lakers and the potential retirement of LeBron James.
“l listened to every word J.J. said. I don’t understand much of what he (Redick) just said, but I listened,” snapped Smith.
Redick, with a dismissive look on his face, pulled the “you never played the game” card.
“You didn’t play,” said Redick. “You don’t understand athletic mortality. “Three games at South Dakota … Winston-Salem State doesn’t count.”
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Later on in the show, Redick took some time to apologize for what he said.
“I misspoke, I had a little brain lapse and I couldn’t say Winston Salem State University. I did not mean any disrespect to the university or to you,” he said.
Smith and Redick have butted heads before, and although he apologized here, there will definitely be many more times when they get into a verbal spat on First Take. It makes great television.
As for the Conference Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers are headed to Cancun after being swept while the Boston Celtics will fight for their lives against the Miami Heat tonight.
