In recent times, the NBA has seen how its superstar try to get preferential treatment from referees simply for their status. Sometimes players take it too far and earn criticism from people. Luka Doncic and LeBron James are the biggest examples of this, but there are more players who do this on a nightly basis.
These attitudes have given these players a bad reputation around the league that’s hurting the image of other stars of this era. Many people think the league has become ‘soft’ due to this, but others have had enough of that. For instance, retired sharpshooter JJ Redick came in defense of the modern era, calling out people who always try to elevate the league of 30 and 40 years ago before any other era.
Recently, Redick replied to Mike Greenberg saying that players from old eras never complained to referees, claiming that all those remarks are based on nostalgia, which has become boring for modern-day players (2:55):
“Michael Jordan didn’t complain to the officials? Larry Bird didn’t complain? Come on, guys. This nostalgia that you have for the ’80s and ’90s – like, a great era of basketball. It’s awesome, but it’s at the dispense of our generation of players, and it has been for the last 15 years. And it’s annoying.”
Redick explained that these comparisons feel like players belong to a different category than those in the 80s and 90s, once again calling it ‘annoying’:
“This nostalgic standard that you’ve set for players in the ’80s and ’90s and then comparing us to it all the time like we are a substandard to that, it gets annoying.”
These conversations have been common around the league in recent times. There’s always somebody trying to make a case for the players who shone in the 80s and 90s and the toughness they faced during those days. Even though things have changed now, that doesn’t mean players can’t take all the things others had to deal with many years ago. Comparing eras has always been hateful and counterproductive, and it’s good that Redick stands up against that while defending the players from his generation.
