The last thing any of us wanted was yet another podcast. But when it is coming directly from LeBron James, we definitely cannot ignore the same. King James is partnering up with the retired NBA player and ESPN analyst, JJ Redick, to release a podcast show called, Mind the Game”, which aims at focusing deeper into the world of basketball. The very first episode dropped earlier today, generating a lot of buzz, globally. The show caters to audiences who are die-hard, religious fans of the sport, keen on learning the intricacies of the game. And it comes as no surprise that the show has gained a fantastic reception from people, with more than 1,008,000 views so far.
From discussing Steph Curry being the flag bearer of change in the modern-day NBA to discussing tactical breakdowns of their favorite plays, they discussed everything! With everything said and done, there’s one more thing Bron couldn’t help but discuss the thing that infuriates him the most: “How many guys f*ck up a play out of time-out? Burns me alive. It burns me alive that a coach can sit there and all five guys are looking at a play, and they come out of time and f*ck it up. Bothers me so bad.”
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JJ Redick feels what is interesting about today’s NBA is what smart coaches and smart players do. With every possession, the players are looking for a target today, which James feels did not happen in the past. What was even more frustrating for the duo was an incident that happened at an old Clippers’ game, which Redick recalls, with a “good offensive player” possessing the ball, with another player (off the ball) guarded by Kawahi Leonard, and all of this happened during the end of the shot clock. And then suddenly the player just comes up to set a pick and roll for the player who had the ball. Both Redick and James can’t make up their mind. They ultimately call the decision a “low basketball IQ“. For Redick, all that should have been done by that player was to keep Leonard away, but then it wasn’t the case.
It’s probably conversations like these that really dig deeper into the game will offer a fresher perspective in the modern-day NBA world. Probably why the podcast series was highly anticipated, is because of the candid conversations.
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How has the mainstream media reacted to the “Mind the Game” podcast?
In an over-saturated landscape with multiple new podcasts popping up every other week, very few focus on the tactical aspect of the game. This has created a huge void, and LeBron and JJ Redick aim to fill that void. While JJ Redick has already established his podcast “The Old Man And The Three,” which explores tactics and features candid conversations, there remains a niche in the podcasting landscape for similar content. The podcast has even put influential figures in mainstream media on notice, with its reception.
Mind the Game podcast has the potential to disrupt the podcasting landscape because of the two titans who are currently hosting the show. Both LeBron and JJ Redick are well respected throughout the basketball community for their basketball IQ and strategic know-how of the game. Fans have come out in droves and supported the podcast. This has caught the attention of multiple influential figures in the mainstream media.
