Throughout the past five to ten years, the so-called new media continues to expand—retired professional players who make the transition into television as personalities, analysts, or by calling games. If any former player is leading the new media charge, it's J.J. Redick.
Redick continues to be a staple for true basketball fans, and by that, I mean the ones who want to learn about the ins and outs of the game, the intangibles, and the ones who don't necessarily care about being "entertained."
He's part of the main ESPN broadcast with Mike Breen and Doris Burke and he appears on First Take with Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim from time-to-time. Redick even hosts a podcast called The Old Man and the Three with co-host Tommy Alter, and now he and LeBron James are teaming up for a new podcast called Mind the Game, a podcast that will strictly talk about the in-depth and fine details of the game.
Why LeBron's new podcast with JJ Redick is a potential game-changer
Their first episode dropped on March 19 and it was a very basic yet descriptive show, talking about multiple plays, basketball pet peeves, what it means to truly love the game of basketball, whether basketball IQ is developed over time or inherited, and how each round in the playoffs is vastly different from a mental aspect. Not only is it talking, but there are physical descriptions and definitions of plays they discussed, which adds a whole new layer for fans to learn the game as they desire.
"I want to be clear here: this is a basketball show," Redick said in his introduction. "This is a show with the intention and purpose to celebrate the game, promote the game, and explain the game. We will be covering a number of topics, not just the NBA: NCAA men's and women's, WNBA, and FIBA."
"LeBron, of course, has played the game at the highest level for 21 years. His experience is valuable, and his basketball IQ is valuable," he added.
Talking about what LeBron has done in his career goes without saying. He's one of the greatest players, if not the greatest player, of all time. But not many people who've learned about JJ Redick over the past five years or so know about his 15-year-long career.
Redick is one of the best motion/catch-and-shoot players of all time. In 15 seasons and 940 total games, the sharpshooter averaged 12.8 points per game, two rebounds, and two assists on 44.7/41.5/89.2 shooting splits. He's the type of player that all contending teams hunt for due to the mix of his unique skillset and high IQ.
As of March 20 around 1:30 ET, the first episode drew 1.46 million views and is number two trending on YouTube in just one day of the podcast's debut. These numbers show the value that not only this podcast is going to bring, but also the value of JJ Redick as a highly respected NBA analyst and the appreciation of LeBron James' basketball greatness.
"If you want to maximize everything that you have with your career and your ability, then squeeze the f--- out of that lemon. Why not?" - LeBron James