ESPN’s ‘First Take’ morning show has become a hotbed for controversial opinions. Besides Stephen A. Smith, various guests that appear on the program have made it a habit to give highly debatable takes on the world of basketball.
Of course, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo may be the biggest culprit of them all.
On Wednesday night, the NBA analyst shared yet another of his highly controversial opinions, this time against Chris Paul. According to Russo, CP3 is extremely overrated and not the “transcendent player” most make him out to be.
“He [Chris Paul[ is not a transcendent figure because he does State Farm commercials… this is not Oscar Robertson going to Milwaukee so he can win a Championship. He is not beloved.
He then went on to flame the Suns, claiming that Mr. Smith overrates their potential.
“You have overrated Phoenix… we sat here two weeks ago, you were telling me how great Phoenix is. They’re a one-seed that lost a home game… and thy were trailing last night when Booker got hurt. That is not as good a team as you guys make it out to be. You guys make these teams and these players out to be Hall-of-Famers before they do anything. Phoenix blew a 2-0 lead last year, they lost 4 straight games to Milwaukee, they didn’t play very well last night and they should have played a Game 7 against the Clippers last year. And now you got Chris Paul at 37 years of age…”
Stephen A. obviously wasn’t a fan of Mag Dog’s newest take, but his reaction was tame compared to JJ Redick.
When he made his way to the debate desk, he quickly addressed Russo’s claim and smashed any idea that Bob Cousy (none of Russo’s favorite players) was better. He looked visibly annoyed after trying to make his case.
“Did Bob Cousy ever shoot over 40% from the field as a player? Did he ever shoot over 40%? Not once. He was being guarded by plumbers and firemen. If you say Bob Cousy is the best point guard ever…”
JJ Redick is so fed up on First Take 😂😂
“[Bob Cousy] was being guarded by plumbers and firemen” pic.twitter.com/qOAkLEEUgd
— Tony Clements (@TonyCMKE) April 20, 2022
Chris Paul may not be as electric as Steph Curry or as powerful as Russell Westbrook, but his game makes an impact all the same. As, arguably, the best floor general and playmaker in the league, his leadership and guidance have helped the Suns achieve great success over the past two years.
No matter how you feel about the guy, his place as one of the greatest point guards ever is undeniable.
In 16 NBA seasons, the basketball legend is a 12x All-Star, 10x All-NBA player, and 9x All-Defensive player. If he’s able to add a Championship to that resume, it could be all he needs to finally get some respect and recognition from his biggest doubters.
