Ex-NBA star JJ Redick sparks furious debate on First Take by accusing show of ‘creating narratives’

Things got heated on First Take between JJ Redick and Kendrick Perkins on Tuesday, as the ex-NBA sharpshooter accused the show of ‘creating narratives’ as they debated Nikola Jokic’s MVP candidacy.

The case for the Serbian center winning a potential third-straight MVP has been widely debated, but former Celtic Perkins ventured into new territory last week when he appeared to suggest the Nugget’s race was giving him an advantage.

Redick has been a staunch defender of Jokic’s MVP bonafides, and things boiled over on ESPN Tuesday when Perkins brought up the racial makeup of the league’s awards voters.

‘What we’ve just witnessed is the problem with this show. Where we create narratives, that do not exist in reality,’ Redick said.

‘The implication – what you are implying, that the white voters that vote on NBA are racist, they favor white people. You just said that.

JJ Redick and Kendrick Perkins argued as host Stephen A. Smith watched

Perkins replied, ‘I did not,’ before yelling, ‘ I stated the facts!’ multiple times. 

The root of the pair’s disagreement comes from Perkins’ comments last week, where he heavily implied that Jokic had won two MVPs (and could win another) because he was white.

‘When it comes down to guys winning MVPs since 1990, it’s only three guys that won the MVP that wasn’t top-10 in scoring,’ Perkins said on First Take.

‘Do you know who those three guys were? Steve Nash, Jokic and Dirk Nowitzki. Now, what do those guys have in common? I’ll let it sit there and marinate. You think about it. 

‘When I’m walking into the club, I got my jays on, I didn’t know it was a dress code to put on church shoes,’ he added.

Jokic actually finished sixth in points per game last season, but that hasn’t stopped Perkins from discrediting his MVP candidacy.

‘When it comes to MVP voting, 80 percent of the voters are white Americans,’ he said Tuesday.

Perkins has also accused Jokic of ‘stat-padding’, or playing in a way that seeks out extra assists or rebounds – despite Denver winning the last 28 games where’s posted a triple-double.

 ‘When it comes down to stat-padding all across the league, JJ of all people should know that this goes on in the locker room,’ Perkins said last week. 

‘That’s why guys don’t shoot half-court shots at the end of quarters because they don’t wanna mess up their three-point percentage.’

Perkins on Tuesday brought up Steve Nash’s MVP in 2006 over Kobe Bryant, when the late Lakers star averaged 31.6 points per game and dragged his team to the playoffs.

Nash averaged 18.6 points and 11.6 assists as the architect of the league’s best offense in Phoenix. 

Nikola Jokic could win his third-straight MVP award for the Nuggets

Redick, seen here with DeAndre Jordan, has become a media force after retiring from the sport

‘It was just a strange thing that happened?’ Perkins asked about that year’s award, adding more fuel to the fire. 

Perkins continued his argument onto Twitter afterwards writing,  ‘Last year I was a c***. This year I’m a racist. Well damn, which one is it? IT’S NEITHER. I call out facts and not afraid to address the elephant in the room.’

Jokic is averaging 24.4 points, 11.8 rebounds and 10.0 assists per game for Denver this season.

They have a massive seven-game lead atop the Western Conference.