Jerry West is not happy with JJ Redick.
The Hall of Famer took offense to Redick’s comments in April when Redick downplayed Bob Cousy’s praise by claiming Cousy “was guarded by plumbers and firemen” when discussing the Boston Celtics guard’s legacy versus the from Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul on ESPN.
West went for the jugular in his rebuttal of Redick’s claim by pointing to Redick’s career relative to Cousy’s.
“I know JJ a little, he’s a really smart kid and all, but tell me how was his career?” West said Friday on Sirius XM NBA Radio. “What did he do those certain games? Did he average 12 points per game in the league? Somewhere along the way, the numbers count. At that point and time, the players aren’t what they used to be. JJ certainly he wasn’t there. to protect the elite players. so you can stick anyone. the only reason i’m talking about him is because he wasn’t an elite player, but he was a very good player, but he had a place in the team for their ability to throw the ball…
“Winning is all that mattered, that’s what drove me. I subtly improved every year. We didn’t have the facilities to improve. We had to work in the summers to support our family. JJ should be very grateful that he made as much money as he’s made, and Bob Cousy, who I played against for a couple of years, not long, I just think it’s a disrespect to myself.”
It should be noted that Redick refused to compare Cousy to Paul, as they played in different eras. ESPN panelist Chris Russo dismissed that idea, stating that since Cousy was first-team All-NBA against West and Oscar Robertson (two other Hall of Famers) and Paul hasn’t in the modern NBA let Cousy be better. player
That argument ultimately led to Redick’s “disrespectful” comments.
For what it’s worth, Cousy is a Hall of Famer who won six NBA titles with Bill Russell and the Celtics, including five straight from 1959-63, and averaged 18.4 points, 7 .5 assists in 35 minutes per game. He was also the 1957 NBA MVP, a 13-time NBA All-Star, a 10-time All-NBA First Team honoree and an eight-time NBA assist leader.
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Paul, meanwhile, is a 12-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA First Team and seven-time NBA All-Defensive First Team. He has averaged 18.1 points and 9.5 assists per game in his 17-year career, but has yet to win an NBA championship.
Another question of comparison between eras remains unanswered.
Jerry West doesn’t want to hear Bob Cousy’s slander. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)