Two former Duke basketball players made headlines on Tuesday as the topic of Doc Rivers becoming the Milwaukee Bucks head coach in the middle of the season was the biggest story in the quiet sports day.
Legendary Blue Devil JJ Redick got the debate started on ESPN's First Take by saying, "The trend is always making excuses. Doc, we get it. Taking over a team in the middle of a season is hard. Just like getting traded in the middle of a season is hard for a player, we get it."
Redick played for Rivers during his time with the Los Angeles Clippers for four seasons in which he averaged 15.8 points per game.
Redick, however, wasn't done yet.
.@jj_redick on Doc Rivers 😳 pic.twitter.com/JRgLD1rx74
— First Take (@FirstTake) February 20, 2024
“It’s always an excuse. It’s always throwing your team under the bus...Memphis was playing G League guys and two-way guys," he continued as he was referencing Rivers' comments from the Bucks' final game before the All-Star Break when he said some of his players' minds were in "Cabo" as they lost to the lowly Grizzlies.
"You look at his quotes over the weekend and now he wants to take credit for the James Harden trade to the Clippers working out? He wants credit for that? There’s never accountability with that guy.”
Austin Rivers, another Duke star and son of Doc Rivers, responded to JJ Redick on ESPN's NBA Today.
“For someone who’s not accountable, he seems to always be held responsible," Rivers said.
“I have some love for JJ. You’re my Dukie, you know that. You’re my bro. I love you. Your best years were with the Clippers. I don’t think he saved your career...this just seems a little bit weird.”
Rivers and Redick were teammates on Doc Rivers' Clippers teams for three seasons.
Patrick Beverly, who was recently traded from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Milwaukee Bucks after Rivers replaced Adrian Griffin as the team's head coach, claimed on X that the head coach "saved career."
Pat my guy I had a four year offer with player option for the same money to be a starter for a different team. FOH “saved my career”. https://t.co/5lXowm2j8e
— JJ Redick (@jj_redick) February 20, 2024
“Your best years in the NBA were when you played for him and the Clippers. Let’s not forget that. I don’t know if there’s frustration there or there’s tension between you,” Austin Rivers continued.
“I know a lot of the time we had to sit you at the end of the game due to defense...it’s just very ironic and kind of weird that you have this energy toward him, in terms of him never, ever being accountable considering he was always responsible.”
erughruiegher pic.twitter.com/xbhJhyYc5h
— Don Barzini (@DonBarziniXX) February 20, 2024
JJ Redick replaced Doc Rivers on ESPN's top NBA broadcast team after he left the booth for the sidelines.
It will be interesting to see the next time that Redick is on the call for the a Milwaukee Bucks game and the drama surrounding the two if the Bucks are able to reach the NBA Finals with the former Blue Devils broadcasting on national television.