Social media has taken over everything we do. Almost every profession requires at least some sort of baseline social media presence and athletes are well aware of this. In order to connect with fans and get your name out there, posting to social media is a necessity. NBA players are constantly on the gram showing off their outfits and making sure they are both seen and heard. For some, social media is just a natural extension of one’s self while for others, it is a huge distraction.

JJ Redick of the New Orleans Pelicans appears to be the latter. The veteran NBA player recently spoke on his podcast about how some of today’s young guns are too focused on social media and that it’s begun to affect their performance.

“There’s just too much stuff going on. There’s too many people in your ear,” Redick said. “There’s probably not enough time in the day for some guys. They’ve got Fortnite to go to. They’ve gotta worry about getting a fit off for pregame. This is an issue. I really believe this: I think there’s more guys concerned with getting a pregame fit on Instagram than they are worrying about the win and loss of a basketball game. I stand by that statement. It’s very concerning to me.”

Redick’s mentality when it comes to social media is certainly one that falls within the minority of ballplayers. Social media won’t be going away anytime soon and it’s only a distraction if you let it become one.