JJ Redick was not happy with the media’s constant coverage of Markelle Fultz’s struggles last season.
Redick was a guest on “The Lowe Post” podcast that was released on Thursday. In the podcast, Redick shared his feelings on his Philadelphia 76ers teammate being targeted by the media. He talked specifically about the incident in February when he called out the media.
Here were his February comments:
And here’s what Redick said to Lowe about the matter.
“I think what made me angry that particular day — and it had been festering — was the way in which people were physically covering him,” Redick told Lowe. “Every time we opened the doors to the media, you’d see this mad rush to get prime footage location. Everybody would get their cell phones out and they’d get their cell phones out and record him. At that point we’d seen months of him shooting. On that particular day, Bryan Colangelo was giving a press conference and after that they all come in with body language like they were vultures preying over a dying, decaying body. The kid was 19, he’s clearly going through something. And I got angry, and I verbalized that anger — maybe I shouldn’t have — and I cussed them out.”
Redick shared why he was particularly protective of Fultz.
“That’s my guy. He was my rookie. I was protective and, also empathetic. Whatever he was going through, physically or mentally, as an athlete, we’ve all been there. There’s varying degrees of extremes to that, but we’ve been there. And I was empathetic to that.”
Fultz’s rookie season was nothing short of a disaster. He struggled with his shot — which may or may not have been related to a shoulder injury — and he only played in 14 games. His status for much of the season was a mystery to most. There was even a big controversy over his trainer.
Redick re-signed with the Sixers over the offseason, while Fultz will be back for his sophomore campaign. Some folks are predicting a big year for Fultz, including Redick, who sees a breakout season in store.
H/T Reddit
