NBA legend Bob Cousy defends 'firemen and the plumbers' he played against after former player's dis

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Boston Celtics legend Bob Cousy had a strong reaction to a comment made by former NBA sharpshooter J.J. Redick last month on ESPN.

In a debate with sports personality Chris "Mad Dog" Russo on "First Take," Redick took issue with the radio legend leaving Chris Paul out of the debate on the greatest point guards in NBA history. Redick scoffed at the assertion that Cousy, who played for the Celtics from 1950 to 1963 and then again in the 1969-70 season, was in that conversation because of the talent he played against.

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ESPN analyst JJ Redick looks on prior to Game Three of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on May 6, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Heat 99-79. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

"Bob Cousy won championships when there were eight teams in the NBA and you had to win two playoff series," Redick said. "Let’s celebrate Bob Cousy in his era, but you can’t compare pre-1980 with the modern NBA."

When Russo mentioned that Cousy had 29 assists in a game, Redick brushed it off saying Cousy was "being guarded by plumbers and firemen."

The 93-year-old Cousy had his chance to respond to that remark in an interview Thursday on SiriusXM NBA Radio.

"People with less talent will always try to make a name for themselves by criticizing other people and hopefully getting some attention and perhaps increasing their credibility," Cousy said.

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Bob Cousy (14) of the Boston Celtics moves into score through Syracuse Men, Red Rocha (left) and Paul Seymour (5), in the second quarter of the playoffs game at the Boston Arena. (Getty Images)

"So when you respond to something like this, you play into their hands. I won’t do that, but I will defend the firemen and the plumbers that he referenced. And I’ll just give you a few of the names of these firemen that I played with and against during those years. How about Bill Russell, the aforementioned, not too bad a player. Wilt Chamberlain, remember that guy? He wasn’t bad. I guess he must have fought fires as well. But in any event, Wilt Chamberlain."

"Still the best, in my judgment, small forward that ever played the game, a guy named Elgin Baylor," Cousy said. "A couple of point guards that weren’t too shabby, my colleague who also had an award created [in his name], guy named Oscar Robertson, who was pound for pound the best player perhaps in the game.

"Jerry West wasn’t too shabby. The guys on our team, Sam and K.C. Jones, a guy named 'Hondo' Havlicek wasn’t too bad. Tom Heinsohn, Frank Ramsey, George Mikan, Bob Pettit, I could go on and on. We must have had the best firemen and plumbers on the planet at the time. And I was very proud to play with all of them."

Cousy never shot over 40% in a single season and never led the NBA in scoring. But he led the NBA in assists per game eight times during his career. He was a six-time NBA champion and won the MVP in 1957.

Closeup of Boston Celtics Bob Cousy on sidelines during game vs Fort Wayne Pistons, Boston, MA. (Hy Peskin/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

The debate will forever rage on between who's better: Cousy or Paul. The current Phoenix Suns guard is a 12-time All-Star, while Cousy was a 13-time All-Star. Paul led the league in assists per game five times and had regularly shot the ball over 40% during his long career.

Both players have a commonality.

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Cousy helped organize the National Basketball Players Association and served as its first president until 1958. Paul served as president from 2013 to 2021.