JJ Redick factors 'advance stats' for snubbing Anthony Davis from his all-defensive ballot
There remains a level of intrigue regarding what JJ Redick will bring to the table as the Lakers' head coach. How he will utilize the roster remains to be seen but during an interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio, he was asked why Anthony Davis was not included in his All-Defensive ballot. In his defense, Redick referred to three factors in his decision, including "advanced stats."
A clip of JJ Redick's comments was shared on X (formerly Twitter) by SiriusXM NBA Radio's x account.
"There's a big difference in being a top ten defender and making an All-Defense team," Redick said. "... Anthony Davis is one of the two or three best defensive players in the NBA. ... You certainly have to factor in the stats, the advanced stats, and then, of course, the team performance on defense."
JJ Redick has always been upfront with his basketball takes or opinions as he usually backs them up with numbers and fair assessments.
Entering his 13th NBA season, Anthony Davis has made the All-Defensive First Team thrice and the All-Defensive Second Team twice in his career. For all of his two-way brilliance on the court, he is yet to win his first Defensive Player of the Year award.
JJ Redick praised Anthony Davis despite all the criticisms and nitpicks he has received from the media
Anthony Davis was the first overall pick back in the 2012 draft and has more than lived up to the expectations placed on him. However, over the years, the media has found numerous criticisms aimed at the superstar forward.
In an episode of JJ Redick's "The Old Man and The Three" podcast, he defended the nine-time All-Star's reputation and argued that most of the critiques have been "unfair."
"I've always had respect for AD's game and didn't quite understand the media game," Redick said. "Now that I've been in media, I feel like he is one of the most maligned great players ... There's all these ways to nitpick him, I don't think it's fair."
There's no denying that his long list of injuries has hampered his reputation with the media, which has also jeopardized his availability in games.
Regardless of what the media has to say, the numbers are certainly in his favor, coupled with an already impressive professional basketball resume.
As of now, Davis is a career 24.1 points scorer (52.3% shooting) and 10.6 rebounder.