Stephen A. Blames JJ Redick For Shouting Match With Kendrick Perkins Over Fake Racism

In March, J.J. Redick appeared on First Take and challenged Kendrick Perkins to defend his position that there is an anti-black bias among NBA MVP voters.

Perkins could not defend his position because he made it up. Thereby Perkins started to shout at Redick across the set:

https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1633135206382141443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1633135206382141443%7Ctwgr%5Ef549d1698d3ebcb207cce6dc55bf68ec45fdf738%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fextra-mustard%2F2023%2F03%2F07%2Fjj-redick-kendrick-perkins-first-take-nba-mvp-nikola-jokic

THE FACTS.

Stephen A. Smith was in the middle of the back-and-forth. He discussed the segment for the first time on The Bill Simmons Podcast this week, admitting the segment "got uncomfortable."

And for that, Smith blames Redick:

“What I didn’t know was the fury, at least it appeared to be fury to me, that JJ Redick was feeling over the subject,” Smith told Simmons. “When he came on, on one hand, I understood how or why he felt the way he felt because of what Perk had said. On the other hand, I was saying to JJ, ‘This is your colleague on the show. If you feel that way, did you have to come at him like that?’ Because it did get uncomfortable.”

Came at him how?

Perkins accused NBA voters of racism. He diminished Nikola Jokic as a product of white privilege. He said the media holds black players back. How many of those claims were accurate? None.

Only five of the last 34 MVP winners are white. If there was a bias in favor of whites, wouldn't more than 6% of winners be white?

As Charles Barkley said, "If only five white guys have won MVP in the last 30 years, that makes zero sense – his argument. Zero sense.”

Perkins then cited that 80% of MVP voters are white. From where did he pull that stat? You decide -- because it's not accurate, either. He exaggerated the number by some 25%.

Perkins lied. He fabricated numbers. He incited unfound racial animosity. He illustrated his own bias against white people, suggesting they can't achieve the MVP without assistance from the media.

Perkins deserved to be challenged. First Take is a show where you are challenged. Stephen A. books pundits on the show to do just that: challenge opinions with passion.

“Everybody I’ve brought on the show, this is what I demand from them: be your true authentic self, " said Stephen A.

J.J. Redick did that. He disproved Perkins' race bait. And Stephen A. says Redick, not Perkins, went too far?

Kendrick Perkins went too far when he started a race war ultimately costing Jokic the award.

And since we can just throw around accusations without proof, shall we accuse Stephen A. of taking Perkins' side over Redick's on account of their skin colors?

To quote Kendrick Perkins, "I'm just asking the question."

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION INTRODUCED EXCUSED RACISM: BOBBY BURACK