LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick said he was unimpressed by TNT analyst Charles Barkley’s criticism of the Lakers coach when asked about it Friday before Los Angeles’ home game against the Atlanta Hawks.

“I read a random text message from someone after the game,” Redick said. “I looked at my phone and there was something about Charles Barkley. And I’m like, “Huh?”… I didn’t make it to the end of the clip, I have to be honest with you. My resting heart rate is probably 64. I watched the clip, it was 64. Literally whatever. I have other thoughts, but I don’t care.”

While TNT host Ernie Johnson Jr. shared highlights of the Boston Celtics’ 118-115 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, Barkley took the opportunity to respond to Redick’s recent criticism of the national media’s coverage of the NBA.

“He said something about, ‘We’re the reason people aren’t looking at this crappy product we have.’ I said, ‘Us?’ Like we’re out there jacking a hundred threes a night,” Barkley said. “JJ (Redick), you come for the king you better not miss cause I can get you bro. Remember, I have your Lakers games. You can’t hide the flaws they have. You’re just a dead man walking. They got rid of (former coach) Frank Vogel, who did a good job. They got rid of Darvin Ham (former coach) who did a good job. But you came out of there thinking you’d make a change with the same ugly girl you dated. …

“The Lakers stink. He came in there and thought, “I can make this thing work.” Damn, you can. Paint the pig. …The Lakers stink, man. Come on, man.”

Two weeks earlier, Redick was asked about the discourse surrounding the NBA’s declining TV ratings and suggested that the league and the game were not being celebrated enough.

“I don’t think we did a good job … of storytelling and celebrating the game,” Redick said Dec. 19 in Sacramento. “If I’m a casual fan and every time I turn on the TV you tell me the product sucks, then I won’t watch the product. And that’s exactly what has happened in the last 10 to 15 years. I don’t know why. It’s not funny to me.”

Although Redick did not specify which voices he was referring to, the celebrated former players of TNT’s “Inside the NBA” – Kenny Smith, Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal – are often cited as the most prominent critics among the league’s affiliates.

“This game should be celebrated,” Redick said in Sacramento. “The league is more talented and skilled than it was 18 years ago when I was selected. That is a fact. There are more players who are excellent. There are more teams that are outstanding. … We don’t have anyone willing to admit that this is a great game and we should talk about it and celebrate it in a positive way. That doesn’t mean we don’t criticize it. We should criticize it, but we should celebrate it. Nobody does that, and the people who do have a small niche on Twitter.”

Before being hired by the Lakers in late June 2024, Redick was an ESPN analyst and podcast host after the 15-year NBA veteran retired in 2021.

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(Photo: Darren Yamashita / Imagn Images)