JJ Redick disclosed that LeBron James and he founded the “Mind The Game” podcast, with Kobe Bryant serving as a key inspiration.
During an interview with Dan Le Batard, JJ Redick revealed why he and LeBron James founded the “Mind the Game” podcast: to bring back the debate about basketball from storylines to the game itself.
“It’s an incredible opportunity, not just for me, but for any basketball fan to listen to one of the greatest players of all time talk about the game of basketball. We saw that for a few years with Kobe. God rest his soul. I think him being gone, there’s a void there. How many of the all-time greats are talking about the game? I don’t know if there’s anybody. I just don’t know. It’s an opportunity for fans to see how the game works.”
Redick revealed his desire to provide fans with an explanation for the “why” behind the things that transpire on the basketball court.
“I wanna help explain the why. Why are you putting two on the ball against Stephen Curry? Why is Draymond catching the ball with no one in the middle of the court and he’s got a four-and-three…? That’s essentially what the show is. There’s a level of why things happen the way they do.”
"God rest (Kobe Bryant's) soul. I think him being gone, there's a void there. How many of the [other] all-time greats are talking about the game? I don’t know if there’s anybody.” – @jj_redick says Kobe Bryant inspired his new pod with @KingJames.
📺 https://t.co/a3qey1LhHt pic.twitter.com/uogZN2xjiZ
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) April 8, 2024
JJ Reddick and LeBron James podcast has been a huge
Through the first several episodes, the podcast has experienced enormous success. They have now accumulated 14.5 million views on YouTube alone over three episodes.
The podcast occasionally explores the narrative side of basketball, particularly in light of some of LeBron’s recent statements about his career, but its main focus is unmistakably on the Xs and Os of the sport.
It’s amazing to watch, since James and Redick don’t dole out reckless hot comments that are taken seriously because of their experience, but instead use their background as NBA players to break down the game elegantly.
