In a chat with Zach Lowe on ‘The Lowe Pose’ podcast, former NBA sharpshooter JJ Redick opened up on his newest gig: head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Redick says that it was something he had wanted for a while and shared a moment he had with a performance coach earlier this year.
“Ultimately this was a decision that I wanted and I have a performance coach that I worked with and I remember talking with him in June, and said, ‘Man this is something that I want. I recognize all the things that come with it, and I’m totally okay,” said Redick. “Those things are actually what make me excited.’ I said to him, ‘I hate using the term once in a lifetime opportunity, but that’s what it feels like.’ He said to me, ‘It probably is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.’ After game 4 of the Finals, I said this is what I want to do. I want the job.”
The Lakers were coming off a pretty miserable season with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and a squad that was severely behind the contenders in the West. By the time the playoffs began, the Lakers were 7th in the standings and were swiftly eliminated at the hands of the then-defending champions (Denver Nuggets).
Feeling the need for change, Rob Pelinka made the call to dismiss head coach Darvin Ham and it began an intense coaching search that spanned weeks. Initially, the Lakers tried to hire the coach from UConn but Redick got the nod after being vetted by Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss.
As for why Redick would accept a position with so much pressure, the answer is obvious. A role on the Lakers is the most prestigious job for any basketball coach and it presents unique challenges which some find exhilarating. Between the money, the prestige, and the chance to win another NBA championship in the future, it was something that Redick couldn’t pass up — especially since it’s not common for someone with no coaching experience to even get considered. Somehow, maybe due to his ties with LeBron James, Redick was able to land the job on a four-year, $32 million deal.
For Redick, who is only 40 and a few years removed from retirement, there are doubts that he can speak to a locker room of his peers. But it’s no secret that the Lakers were desperate to make a hire and after Dan Hurley rejected their offer in June, they settled on Redick as the next-best thing.
Now it’s up to JJ to prove they made the right decision and take the Lakers back on the path to success. If he can get the guys to buy in and implement a game plan that benefits everyone’s game, it could lead to a major redemption arc for the Purple and Gold. If not, the doubts and worry will only grow for Redick as the pressure builds to prove his worth.
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