A few weeks ago, Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick sparked debate by blaming social media analysts and television coverage for their role in the NBA’s declining viewership in recent years. Redick’s comments didn’t sit well with Charles Barkley, who fired back during a segment on Inside the NBA.
In an interview with The Athletic’s Sam Amick, Redick claimed that negative narratives from analysts were driving fans away. “If I’m a casual fan and you tell me every time I turn on the television that the product sucks, well, I’m not going to watch the product,” Redick said.
Barkley, never one to hold back, responded directly on air, criticizing both Redick’s comments and his performance as a coach. “JJ, you better calm down because when you come for the king, you better not miss,” Barkley said. “He said something about, ‘We’re the reason people ain’t watching this crappy product we got.’ Cause I can get you, brother. Remember, I watch these Lakers games, and you can’t hide the flaws they have”.
Barkley then drew comparisons to former Lakers coaches Frank Vogel and Darvin Ham, who were both dismissed despite notable efforts. He suggested Redick might meet a similar fate.
Head coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Golden State Warriors during the first half at Chase Center. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
“You’re just a dead man walking,” Barkley added. “They got rid of Frank Vogel, who did a good job, and they got rid of Darvin Ham, who did a good job. But you came out here thinking you were gonna change things with that same ugly girl you went on a date with.”
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Paul George offers his perspective on NBA viewership decline
Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George also weighed in on the topic but presented a different view from Redick’s. Speaking on his Podcast P show, the nine-time All-Star pointed to the increased reliance on analytics as a reason the game has become less appealing to fans.
“Analytics kind of took over the game being played,” George said. “Coaches want three-pointers, or a layup, or get to the free-throw line… A lot of [fans] are old-school. They’re used to how the NBA was”.
Is NBA viewership decline a matter of eras?
One of the most debated issues in basketball circles is the stark difference between today’s NBA and the game of past decades. Many fans hail the 1980s and 1990s as the “golden era” of basketball, marked by intense rivalries like the Lakers vs. Celtics and a more physical style of play.
Magic Johnson addressed this shift during an appearance on Fox Sports’ Spark podcast, expressing his thoughts on how the game has evolved. “Everybody is shaking each other’s hand, everybody likes each other, they won’t go at each other really hard,” Johnson said.
George echoed Johnson’s sentiments, suggesting the game lacks the heated rivalries of previous generations. “Back then, it was a lot more rivalry stuff. I don’t think there are that big of rivalries anymore that is must-see,” George noted on his podcast. “You can argue that past eras played harder and more physical. In this era, we are definitely the most skilled. Now we just gotta add the extra elements into that”.
