Charles Barkley inadvertently proves JJ Redick's point about NBA viewership

It would appear that Charles Barkley, host of TNT's "Inside the NBA," took issue with Redick's comments. On Thursday, he tore into the Los Angeles Lakers head coach, claiming he was a dead man walking. 

“He said something about we’re the reason people ain’t watching this crappy product we got,” Barkley said. “Yeah, like we’re out here jacking up 100 [three-point attempts] a night…When you come for the king, you better not miss… I got your Lakers games. You can’t hide them flaws they got. You just a dead man walking. They got rid of Frank Vogel — who did a good job. They got rid of Darvin Ham — who did a good job. You came out there thinking you were going to change things.”

Barkley's comments were not only out of order and uncalled for but also proved Redick's point. On a night that included multiple high-level basketball games, including a marquee matchup between the Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves, Barkley chose to pick a fight. 

Redick is right to question the negative coverage of the NBA. Ex-players consistently insult the league's evolution and claim the new wave of players are 'soft' or 'unskilled.' That negativity will eventually bleed into the more casual fanbase, costing the league views. 

The same can be said for how Barkley acted on Thursday. He should hold himself to a higher standard. He's supposed to be a torchbearer for the NBA. To state that the head coach of one of the most popular teams on Earth is a 'dead man walking' is unprofessional. Redick was right, the league needs to rethink how its media partners are covering it, and how the sport is portrayed to the masses.