Bob Cousy heard JJ Redick’s comments about him competing against plumbers and firefighters, and he was not happy about it.

Cousy appeared on SiriusXM NBA Radio with Justin Termine and Eddie Johnson, where he was asked about Redick’s remarks which came in the context of a Chris Paul debate with Chris “Mad Dog” Russo on “First Take”.

“He was being guarded by plumbers and firemen,” Redick said of Cousy on the Apr. 20 episode.

The six-time NBA champion waited almost a month to enter the fray, and it was worth it.

“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.

“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.”

Cousy, 93, continued to name all-time greats who he played with and against as a member of the Celtics from 1951 through 1970.

“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.”