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Austin Rivers’ comments on the “Pat McAfee Show” about NBA players being the best athletes and even playing in the NFL stirred a hornet’s nest. A handful of former and current football players did not like the tone and the assumption of Rivers’ take. JJ Watt and Randy Moss, two of the best to take the field, had already pushed back against what the son of Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers had said.
Super Bowl XLV champ James Jones, who is now an analyst like Rivers, was the latest to join the chorus of critics. He didn’t mince any words on FS1’s “Speak” on Thursday and told the former Minnesota Timberwolves guard this:
"Austin Rivers, if you stepped on the field, homeboy, you wouldn't make it. We know that right now because you barely made it in the NBA."
Jones demanded some respect from Rivers, emphasizing that taking 30 NBA players to play in the NFL was not going to work. The former Green Bay Packers star added that if Rivers mentioned Anthony Edwards alone, then he might have listened and given it some consideration. Otherwise, Jones lectured the ESPN analyst about doing his homework by watching more football.
Austin Rivers eventually responded:
“Talking about you barely made it in the nba…bro, I was lottery pick who has already played 11 years. You played 8/9 seasons in the NFL. Make it make sense. By your own logic you really barely made it. You sound salty. Beat it.”
Rivers' comments on the “Pat McAfee Show” concluded that it doesn’t take much to play in the NFL. He said all one has to do is “catch the ball and run north or south.”
JJ Watt, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, insisted that players from both leagues just can’t jump over and excel. The skills just cannot be overlooked the way Austin Rivers assumed. Watt said that he could “absolutely not play in the NBA.” The unassuming football icon added, “6 hard fouls is about all I could give you and call it a day.”
Rivers didn’t bother to respond to that.
Charles Barkley calls out Austin Rivers for his hot take
The people who pushed back against Austin Rivers’ hot take weren't limited to the NFL world. Charles Barkley, an NBA legend who now works as an analyst for TNT’s “Inside the NBA,” couldn’t disagree more with the former basketball lottery pick.
"Austin Rivers, you know I love you, we can't play football. You're doing a great job, but to say that we've got 30-40 NBA players who could go play in the NFL. … Football is a grown-man sport. We're soft."
Admitting basketball players are “soft” is quite stunning from “Sir Charles” who was one of the most physical and bruising operators in his prime. James Jones elaborated on Barkley’s point to contradict Austin Rivers’ statement.
