"He has a punchable face": Richard Jefferson roasts co-ESPN commentator JJ Redick during halftime of Victor Wembanyama's NBA debut

Richard Jefferson started the 2023-24 NBA season by roasting his co-ESPN commentator JJ Redick at halftime of Victor Wembanyama's debut. Jefferson managed to convince Redick to appear in a hilarious video pleading with fans to "take it easy on him."

In a video uploaded on his X account, Jefferson asked NBA fans to mellow down on hating Redick. It was done in a sarcastic way wherein RJ roasted his co-worker for everyone to see. Fair play to JJ, who was a good sport and went along with the bit.

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"I just want to tell all NBA fans to take it easy on this guy," Jefferson said. "Does his own mother say he has a very punchable face? Yes, but that doesn't mean that he should be berated online for all of his awful takes. He's actually not that, he's an okay guy, right?

"I just want to say as we start this season and we embark on this together, just take it easy on the guy. We all get it. We work with him."

Richard Jefferson and JJ Redick are covering Victor Wembanyama's NBA debut for ESPN on Wednesday in San Antonio. The two former players are part of the network's secondary broadcast team along with WNBA play-by-play announcer Ryan Ruocco.

The trio will cover the NBA Sunday Showcase series on ABC. NBA Head of Event and Studio Production Dave Roberts called the move a preparation for the future, considering Jefferson, Redick, and Ruocco part of the natural succession plan.

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"The one thing you have to do in this business is always have succession planning. In that team, you have the potential making of a succession plan", Roberts said.

"It might be 10 years away, but at the end of the day, the NBA, based on the product, whether it's in the in-season tournament, games on Saturday night on ABC or whatever – the play-in, the extended playoffs – I think it’s important there is a clear No. 2 team."

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JJ Redick jokes about Richard Jefferson's role in the Warriors dynasty

Richard Jefferson and JJ Redick

Richard Jefferson appeared on JJ Redick's "The Old Man and the Three" podcast earlier this year. The two former NBA players and ESPN colleagues went back and forth with their hilarious banter, which showed their great chemistry.

Redick even joked about Jefferson's role in building the Golden State Warriors dynasty. RJ played in Golden State for one and a half seasons before he was traded to the Utah Jazz before the 2013-14 NBA season.

The trade freed up money for the Warriors to sign Andre Iguodala, who was a vital member of the dynasty. Jefferson still managed to win a championship during the Warriors' run back in 2016 as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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