JJ Redick On LeBron James: “We, Collectively, As A Society, Have Damn Near Tried Everything To Discredit His Legacy.”

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JJ Redick has been making headlines recently thanks to his new facet as an analyst. The newly retired shooting guard is still going strong on Youtube, but his takes are getting more attention on ESPN. 

The 15-year veteran recently called out Stephen A. Smith for saying LeBron James isn't feared around the NBA. Redick wasn't having any of that and mentioned that he spent 15 years in the league, facing LeBron several times, learning firsthand how tough it's to guard him, let alone stop him. 

Moreover, talking on his 'The Old Man and the Three' podcast, JJ doubled down on those comments, going further and saying that plenty of people have tried to dismiss Bron's contributions to the game and society in general. 

"We, collectively, as a society, have damn near tried everything to somehow discredit or dismantle LeBron's legacy, and all that guy has done is win, break records, built enterprises, build schools."

“And all that guy has done is win, break records, build enterprises, build schools,” Redick said. “There’s certainly a level of respect. But for the fear factor, if you get into a playoff series with LeBron, you’re certainly fearful of who he is as a player - physically.”

It's hard to disagree with Redick. Even with people saying he's soft, going against LeBron must be a tough challenge. He's always taking care of his body and remains a strong force in the league. 

He's not as fast as before, but James can influence the game in different ways, and even without trying, he can hurt people. Ask Isaiah Stewart.

His mentality, his body, his power, all of that make LeBron a scary player. Perhaps things are changing now that he's aging, but the respect will always be there. Besides his incredible career, he's been a big positive influence off the court, and that's remarkable seeing how easy it is for an athlete to lose focus.