STEPHEN A. Smith and JJ Redick were giving each other the silent treatment after a fight on First Take, a source tells The US Sun.
Two sources from the show, who spoke on condition of anonymity, say the now-LA Lakers coach and Stephen A. clashed behind the scenes and didn’t speak “for weeks.”
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ESPN big hitter Stephen A’s salary demands, as revealed by The US Sun, have caused tensions on the show to reach an uncomfortable “all-time high.”
But one of the sources says the on-screen treatment of highly regarded NBA strategist Redick further fanned the flames of discontent.
With loudmouth Stephen A. and on-screen pal Shannon Sharpe known for their bizarre sports views, Redick has made a name for himself by calling them both out from time to time.
The basketball veteran, who has now left a spot in ESPN’s NBA booth alongside Mike Breen and Doris Burke, doesn’t “represent his BS,” according to one of the sources.
This, however, led to some serious problems between Stephen A. and Redick.
When the 42-year-old was named the Lakers’ most important man recently, any problems in the program were instantly extinguished.
But the problems, which have intensified since the beginning of the year, have caused difficulties for other employees.
FLAMES OF DISCONTENT
Some are angry at how Redick has been “unfairly” targeted for not dancing to Stephen A. and consistently dropping controversial bombshells.
“People on the team told Smith it was unfair to criticize JJ for not being like him,” a journalist who works on the show told The US Sun.
“His style is controversial, always being against other people in discussions. He criticized Redick for his career choices, which left them not speaking to each other in recent weeks.”
Redick, who Stephen A. described as an “acquired taste,” joined ESPN in 2021 and has proven to be an insightful addition to First Take’s roster of experts.
He hasn’t shied away from taking on Stephen A. who, as revealed by The US Sun, has so upset some crew members with his push for a new deal that they are threatening to leave the show.
The pair were involved in a heated argument earlier this year that became so heated that the former 76ers, Clippers and Orlando Magic star was forced to assure viewers there were “no issues” between them.
It’s very annoying to deal with.
First, know the details
However, problems continued to mount before Redick paused his analyst career and returned to the NBA.
“The situation was getting ridiculous,” the source added. “Something had to change.”
BURNED QUESTIONS
Redick became one of ESPN’s top basketball analysts after Doc Rivers returned to coaching with the Milwaukee Bucks in January.
He retired just three years ago, but has long been touted as a media star of the future after becoming the first active gamer to start a podcast.
The Old Man and The Three began in 2016 and is still going strong.
However, the bad feeling behind the scenes at First Take remains.
“Everyone works hard to make the show the best on TV and a lot of tensions have been rising between journalists, experts and the production team,” said another team member.
“It’s really annoying to deal with.”
First Take did not comment when asked by The US Sun about the situation, but emphasized that the show’s June ratings “increased 7%, continuing a streak of 23 consecutive months of growth.”
“This concludes the first six months of 2024, which has been the best first six months of the year for the show ever.”
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
