JJ Redick spits honest truth behind Utah Jazz being ignored

There is a simple explanation why the media shows no love to the Utah Jazz.

After finishing with the league’s best record in the 2020-21 regular season, the Utah Jazz (16-7) now sit No. 3 in the Western Conference standings as the only squad with any realistic chance to catch the co-frontrunner Golden State Warriors (20-4) and Phoenix Suns (20-4) before Christmas Day. Plus, Utah currently leads the NBA in a slew of offensive categories.

Meanwhile, though, it feels as if no one beyond roughly a 100-mile radius of Salt Lake City knows or gives a hoot about, well, any of that Jazz.

A spot-on take about the Utah Jazz from new NBA media personality JJ Redick

This week, Utah Jazz guard Joe Ingles appeared on The Old Man & the Three podcast and spoke with host JJ Redick about the media’s coverage — or lack thereof — of the franchise. While Ingles provided insight into the team’s comedic view of this reality, it was Redick, now an analyst for ESPN following his recent retirement from a 15-year NBA career, who seemed to nail the reason.

First, Redick noted a time when he had to go off-script to supply the ESPN audience with at least a brief mention of Utah’s consistent success:

“I force-fed a line in there about the Jazz my first or second day on the job, and I said, ‘We’re just gonna ignore them?’…I said it felt very similar to last year with the Milwaukee Bucks. Great regular-season success, some disappointing playoff failures, and then we’re just sort of writing them off in Year 3 like they’re not a real contender when every other indicator says you clearly are…”

Redick, who remains one of the most recognized college stars in history and is still Duke basketball’s all-time leading scorer, then opined about the reason behind the media’s apparent disinterest in pretty much all things Utah. The 37-year-old pointed to what folks ought to see as the Jazz’s admirable continuity and relatively drama-free environment:

“Here’s my theory on the whole thing. It’s not that it’s a small market…It’s simply that the media thrives off of drama…free agency, trade deadline. It’s why there are such big days on NBA Twitter. It’s why us going to DeAndre’s house when he’s committed to the Dallas Mavericks is the greatest day ever on NBA Twitter. It’s because it’s not about the basketball.”

Redick continued:

“And frankly, you guys have had really good stability. You have a core group of guys who have been there a while. Quin [Snyder] has been there a while. I’m sure there’s drama. It’s the NBA…There are probably guys on your team who maybe don’t like each other that much. But it’s just there’s nothing out there.”

Yup, that about sums it up.

Speaking to those who pay attention to this top-shelf brand of hoops despite its scarce shakeups and minimal recognition, the next Jazz game takes place on the road against the Minnesota Timberwolves (11-13) at 6 p.m. MT Wednesday.