“Oh, I didn’t realize Nikola Jokic was good” – JJ Reddick BERATES media for neglecting Nuggets under ‘superstar narrative’

JJ Redick calls for recognition of Nikola Jokic's talent and ESPN faces criticism for coverage choices

“Oh, I didn’t realize Nikola Jokic was good” – JJ Reddick BERATES media for neglecting Nuggets under ‘superstar narrative’

JJ Redick, ESPN analyst and former NBA player, expressed his frustration with the lack of coverage on the Denver Nuggets and their superstar center, Nikola Jokic. Redick voiced his concerns during an appearance on ESPN’s “First Take” on Tuesday morning. He criticized the media, including ESPN, for neglecting to highlight Jokic’s exceptional talent and the Nuggets’ achievements.

Redick argued that the NBA should be recognized as a league comprising 30 teams and 450 players, with multiple superstars deserving attention. He emphasized the need to showcase Jokic more on television and engage in discussions about his skills and contributions to the sport. The two-time MVP has consistently displayed exceptional performances, but Redick believes that his abilities have not received the recognition they deserve.

“We don’t do a good job of selling what the NBA is which is 30 teams, 450 players, multiple superstars,” Jokic said. “The fact that people are now being like, ‘Oh, I didn’t realize Nikola Jokic was good.’ Let’s put him on TV more! Let’s talk about him!”

Related: Charles Barkley calls JJ Reddick ‘idiot, fool and jacka*s’ for Ja Morant take

ESPN faces criticism for neglecting the unbeaten Nuggets

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image via Getty Images

Amidst the NBA Finals and the height of its NBA coverage, ESPN and its parent company Disney find themselves facing criticism for their coverage of the league. Fans and league analysts have voiced their dissatisfaction, claiming that the network prioritizes trendy topics and opinion stories over in-depth sports journalism.

This criticism has been particularly evident during the recently concluded Western Conference Finals series between the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite the Nuggets’ remarkable achievement of sweeping the Lakers and securing their first-ever NBA Finals berth, ESPN allegedly focused more on LeBron James and the Lakers in their coverage.

NBA podcaster Dane Moore expressed his disappointment, stating that ESPN seems unable to determine the type of media company it wants to be. This sentiment reflects a broader dissatisfaction with ESPN’s coverage strategy.

Although ESPN has experienced record-breaking television ratings during the first two rounds of the NBA Playoffs, the network’s coverage choices have faced criticism. It remains to be seen whether the network will address these concerns and finds a better way to balance between popular narratives and comprehensive coverage of all teams and players.

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