Los Angeles Lakers appoints JJ Redick as their head coach

JJ Redick claims his unprecedented appointment as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers signals the end of his podcast with LeBron James. Redick expects they will be able to create far more intriguing material next season in a new form of collaboration, seeking a championship with the Lakers.

According to the Associated Press, “I have never coached in the NBA before,” Redick said with a straight face. “I don’t know if you guys have heard that.”

JJ Redick's coaching expertise is limited to working with his boys' young teams, it still intends to bridge that gap with encyclopedic basketball knowledge, personal charm, an experienced coaching staff, and a desire to innovate.

Shoutout from Coach 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/o8WDaouA0X

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) June 24, 2024

Redick further stated that he received this chance without any assistance or counsel from James, who must decide this week whether to activate his player option to return to the Los Angeles Lakers next season or become a free agency.

Dan Hurley turned down a lucrative offer

Redick claimed he didn't communicate with James about Los Angeles' protracted coaching search until a 15-minute discussion last Thursday when the Lakers offered him the job. However, Redick had significant conversations with fellow Lakers player Anthony Davis, who was more involved in the team's hiring process than James. 

The Lakers finalized a deal with Redick last week, roughly after two weeks UConn coach Dan Hurley turned down a lucrative offer to join the NBA from the Huskies, who are reigning national champions in back-to-back seasons. Neither Redick nor Hurley have previously coached in the NBA. Redick stated he spoke with Pelinka before the Lakers' pursuit of Hurley, and he was on ESPN's broadcast team during the drama.

Following a four-year stint at Duke, Redick played 15 NBA seasons for six different teams as a solid shooting guard. Under Mike Krzyzewski, he became the Blue Devils' career leading scorer. Redick realized last year that he wanted to be an NBA head coach after auditioning for the position in Toronto, and he has since spoken with great coaches about every element of their positions.