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BREAKING NEWS: Epic Collaboration Announced by LeBron James & JJ Redick
LeBron James, JJ Redick, and James' business partner, Maverick Carter, disclosed to The Athletic their intention to join forces on a YouTube podcast focused exclusively on basketball discussions.
"It's meant to be a very free-flowing conversation about the sport and about the game," Redick said in a phone interview. "If you look at it in a very simplistic way, it's just about basketball."
The program, "Mind the Game," is set to launch without any corporate sponsors initially. Both James, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history, and Redick, a 15-year NBA veteran and current member of ABC/ESPN's NBA Finals broadcast team, aim to maintain its organic nature. As of now, there is no designated advertising sponsor in place. The collaboration is being spearheaded by their respective companies: James' Uninterrupted and Redick's ThreeFourTwo Productions.
"I'm really proud of what we've done to innovate in sports media," James said in a statement to The Athletic. "When I do a project, the only thing I think about is whether me and my friends would watch it. That is definitely the case with ‘Mind the Game.' Everything doesn't need to be designed for internet culture and clicks."
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The inaugural episode is set to premiere on Tuesday, with subsequent episodes airing weekly and lasting between 45 minutes to an hour. It will be accessible on both YouTube and various podcast platforms. Additionally, Redick mentioned that there will be guest appearances on certain episodes.
The podcast aims to differentiate itself from talk shows such as ESPN's "First Take," where Redick is a regular contributor. While those programs often engage in debates over subjective opinions in sports, James and Redick intend to explore basketball in a more analytical and in-depth manner.
The collaboration between the NBA's most prominent active player and a seasoned NBA Finals TV analyst came together swiftly after James and Redick floated the idea in December. They have already recorded two episodes.
In a sneak peek from the upcoming podcast, as seen by The Athletic, the atmosphere is relaxed, with the hosts enjoying red wine and engaging in an in-depth discussion on defensive strategies against pick-and-roll plays.
At 39, James has the luxury to choose the projects he wants, akin to what Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have done post-retirement, opening up numerous media opportunities.
Similarly, Redick, also 39, retired from playing just three years ago and has seamlessly transitioned into a thriving media career. He balances modern media ventures like his podcast, "The Old Man and the Three," and his production company, with more traditional roles, such as serving on network studio shows.
In February, ESPN elevated Redick to its top NBA broadcast team alongside Mike Breen and Doris Burke, following Doc Rivers' departure for the Milwaukee Bucks' head coaching position.
The partnership between James and Redick underscores the trend of athletes and former athletes having platforms to discuss topics of their choosing, at their preferred time and place.
Source : The Athletic
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March 18 | 11 answers BREAKING NEWS: Epic Collaboration Announced by LeBron James & JJ Redick Will you watch this show? | ||
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