JJ Redick is now officially the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, which was previously confirmed by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. This appointment comes as Lakers legend LeBron James faces uncertainty about his future with the team.
During his introductory press conference, Redick addressed the situation. He revealed that he and James deliberately avoided discussing the Lakers job until after officially accepting the position.
“LeBron and I did not talk about the Lakers job until Thursday afternoon, about 30 minutes after I was offered the job. That was very intentional on both our parts,” Redick said.
Redick later elaborated on their decision to keep the conversation separate from the job offer.
“I knew—II had an understanding that he did not want to be involved in this. For me, I didn’t want to go down the path of hypotheticals with someone that I consider a friend and someone that I have a great amount of respect for.”
The new Lakers head coach has a unique history with James. Redick started his NBA career three years after James, and he enjoyed a successful NBA career before retiring in 2021. Now, he is on the way to coaching one of the greatest players ever.
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Rob Pelinka Explains the Bold Move to Hire JJ Redick as the Lakers’ Coach
While JJ Redick was a top target in the Lakers’ coaching search, it was clear that he wasn’t the No. 1 choice initially. Nevertheless, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka mentioned Redick’s “basketball IQ” and saw him as a good fit for their HC role.
“When we embarked on this search, it was really important for us to see if we could do something a little different. Quickly in our conversations with JJ, it was very evident that he had a unique perspective and philosophy on basketball and how it’s to be taught,” Pelinka said.
Redick brings a wealth of experience to his new role. His NBA career spanned 15 years, during which he played for several teams. After retiring, Redick honed his basketball insights as an NBA analyst.
