The NBA coaching legend just dropped the hammer on the kingpins of hot takes—and he’s not holding back!
Rick Carlisle, the championship-winning head coach of the Indiana Pacers, has never been one to mince words. But this time, he’s taking direct aim at the debate-driven circus of *First Take* and the endless hot takes that dominate sports media.
In a recent interview, Carlisle didn’t just side-eye the Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith style of analysis—he outright dismissed it.
*”There’s a reason true professionals like Shaq, Chuck, Kenny, and Ernie are the gold standard,”* Carlisle said. *”They’ve lived the game, they understand it, and they don’t reduce it to screaming matches for clicks.”*
Ouch.
Carlisle, known for his basketball IQ and no-nonsense approach, clearly prefers the *Inside the NBA* crew’s blend of humor, insight, and authenticity over the manufactured drama of debate shows. And fans are eating it up.
**The Fallout:**
– **Skip & SAS in shambles?** The First Take duo thrives on controversy, but will they fire back?
– **Inside the NBA reigns supreme**—TNT’s crew continues to be the people’s champ.
– **ESPN’s shift?** With the recent hires of Barkley and (possibly) Shaq, is the Worldwide Leader finally prioritizing real analysis over shouting?
One thing’s for sure: Carlisle just threw gasoline on the eternal debate over what *real* sports coverage should look like.
**Who’s side are you on—the entertainers or the experts? Sound off in the comments!**
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**#NBATwitter #FirstTake #InsideTheNBA #RickCarlisle**
