With his playing days over, Austin Rivers is finding his voice in sports media.
His claim during a fiery debate with Pat McAfee – that 30 NBA players could instantly succeed in the NFL – ignited a social media firestorm on Tuesday.
That led to Rivers sparring with JJ Watt. It also led to him trading barbs with former Green Bay Packers wide receiver and current FS1 personality James Jones.
“Let’s just get this straight, No. 1, they put a flop rule in the NBA because you guys are soft,” Jones said. “You guys started a trend of rest games. And now y’all want extra votes and all that type of stuff to win an MVP because you only played 22 games out of 82. Y’all started that. No. 2, you said 30 dudes. If you said one dude, or maybe Anthony Edwards could play safety or something like that, I’d have listened to you. You said 30 dudes — no.
“No. 1, put respect on our sport; that’s No. 1. It is not just run and catch the ball and turn around. It ain’t just hand the ball and do that. It takes a lot of work at your craft to do what we do on a football field. And Austin Rivers, if you stepped on a football field homeboy, you wouldn’t make it. We know that right now. Because you barely made it in the NBA, and I’m just keeping it a buck. Football is not an easy game, dog. That’s why a lot of basketball players that stepped on the football field, stepped right back on the basketball court because it’s not an easy game.
“It’s a lot that goes into the NFL. And you not ’bout to walk in the NFL and think you ’bout to catch and turn around. Try again, homeboy. Do your research on the NFL, man. Watch some football games… whatever you want to watch and catch up on it, man, because 30 dudes in the NBA ain’t doing that, homeboy.”
.@89JonesNTAF COOKS Austin Rivers for saying there are 30 NBA players who could play in the NFL. 🔥
“Austin Rivers, if you stepped on the football field homeboy, you wouldn’t make it. We know that right now, because you barely made it in the NBA.” pic.twitter.com/iRr0cQmZsU
— Speak (@SpeakOnFS1) May 8, 2024
Rivers didn’t take kindly to being called out by Jones, but his response mainly resided around the fact they he didn’t know who the former Packers wide receiver even was.
Been just sitting back listening to the chatter. But I can’t help myself sometimes lol. James Jones…( the packer guy) I have never heard of you. But listen here ya little meat head…fall back lol. Talking about “you barely made it in the nba”😂…bro I was lottery pick who has…
— Austin Rivers (@AustinRivers25) May 9, 2024
And Jones had time to respond on Thursday’s edition of Speak after Rivers called him a “little meathead.”
“Alright, homeboy. Since I’m a meathead, I’m gonna stick with my homeboy, man, because we are on TV,” he said. “I see 11 seasons, seven different teams. Top-10 pick, I see averaging nine points a game over your career. Just two rebounds and two assists over your career. Top-10 pick, you know what that sounds like to me? In the streets, we call you a ‘bust,’ homeboy. That’s what that sounds like. Now, if my daddy played in the NBA and I was coming out of the draft, I’d probably be a top-10 pick, too, homeboy.
“But once I get into the league, I would’ve handled my business. Now, I led the league in touchdowns. I won a Super Bowl in the highest league. You did none of that. You don’t got no All-Stars — well, you not gonna have that because you got nine points, two assists, two steals in a game, 65 (%) free throws. So, I’m not even gonna keep going back and forth with you; I’ll imma say if you 6-4, 200, maybe you should’ve tried football. You might’ve had a better career, homeboy. Basketball was not your career from what I’m reading right here. So, I’m gonna leave it at that.”
James Jones responds to Austin Rivers:
“In the streets we call you a bust… You’re 6’4″, 200, maybe you should’ve tried football. You might’ve had a better career homeboy… basketball was not your career from what I’m reading right here.” 🏀🏈 🔥pic.twitter.com/4U3MguKA6j
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 9, 2024
[Awful Announcing on X]
