Melissa Rohlin
FOX Sports activities NBA Author
JJ Redick’s introductory press convention as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers makes it simpler to grasp why he was employed.
He could be humorous.
The best degree Redick has coached was fourth-grade youth basketball, but he was simply employed to take over the helm of one of the prestigious franchises in sports activities, the 17-time-champion Lakers. He opened his presser calling out the elephant within the room as reporters chuckled.
“I’ve by no means coached within the NBA earlier than. I do not know if you happen to guys have heard that.”
He could be earnest.
Issues might’ve turned awkward shortly. As Redick sat subsequent to Rob Pelinka, the Lakers basic supervisor was requested about initially providing the gig to UConn’s Dan Hurley. Pelinka stated he’d be keen to handle the query later, stating that it was Redick’s day. Unprompted, Redick selected to interject, wanting to handle being the crew’s second alternative.
“I used to be on the point of name Sport 1 of the NBA Finals when the Dan Hurley information broke. And Rob was fast to name me. We had an awesome dialog. Throughout that complete four-day interval, at no level was my ego or emotions damage or bruised in any means. Dan Hurley is a two-time nationwide champion at UConn. I’m a two-time 55 Swish League champion within the third- and fourth-grade division. Like, I understood, you recognize?”
And he could be irreverent.
It is no secret that teaching the Lakers is among the hardest jobs in sports activities. Since Phil Jackson was fired in 2011, the gig has been a revolving door with seven completely different head coaches — eight together with Bernie Bickerstaff’s five-game interim tenure in 2013. So, regardless that Redick hasn’t but coached a recreation, he is already being picked aside. The narrative goes one thing like this: Pelinka picked a novice? What a joke. How lengthy is that this man going to final? However Redick did not flinch when requested which storyline about himself he is most wanting ahead to dispelling.
“I do not actually have an awesome reply on your query as a result of I actually do not give a f—.”
Redick got here throughout as sensible and likable. He added some readability to why the Lakers picked a man with no skilled teaching expertise to assist them win their first championship since 2020.
This a lot we all know: Redick has a superb basketball thoughts. He is a 15-year NBA veteran. LeBron James selected to do a podcast with him. He has excelled as a broadcaster.
Redick is aware of the sport chilly. However will that translate to him main a locker room? Can he go from being a utility participant to commanding the respect of the crew’s superstars?
“I feel NBA head teaching expertise and NBA expertise aren’t mutually unique issues,” Pelinka stated. “I feel JJ has an incredible quantity of NBA expertise that is going to make him an awesome NBA coach.”
In fact, it helps that Redick and James have a pre-existing relationship, as evidenced by them sipping wine and fascinatingly dissecting the sport on the “Thoughts The Sport” podcast. (And no, Redick will not partake in that.) But when James chooses to return to the Lakers, both by opting into his $51.4 million wage or signing a brand new contract with the crew, Redick clearly has James in his nook.
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Redick, nonetheless, made it clear that they weren’t consulting each other through the teaching search.
“He did not present any recommendation,” Redick stated. “LeBron and I didn’t speak concerning the Lakers job till Thursday afternoon, about half-hour after I used to be supplied the job. And that was very intentional on each our elements.
“I knew I had an understanding that he didn’t need to be concerned on this. And for me, I did not need to go down the trail of hypotheticals with somebody that I think about a pal and somebody that I’ve a large amount of respect for. So, for us, it simply got here all the way down to actually Thursday afternoon. And I talked to him for about 15-20 minutes and bought off the telephone. That was it.”
So, now Redick finds himself accountable for a crew with many query marks.
Will James return? Can Pelinka enhance the roster through the offseason? Can the Lakers actually be contenders subsequent season?
However amongst these queries, Redick is probably the largest unknown.
He is personable. He referred to as himself a perfectionist however added he is aware of he’ll have to offer himself grace on this new function. However on this city, that is not going to be reciprocated.
The Lakers’ magnifying glass is particularly intense. A number of the greatest gamers of all time have performed for this crew, together with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, to call a couple of. Hollywood celebrities recurrently sit courtside. And earlier than the Boston Celtics received their 18th title earlier this month, the Lakers and Celtics had been tied because the winningest franchises in NBA historical past.
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Now, a man who has by no means even coached a lot as a middle-school squad will dive head-first into that stress cooker.
Though he simply secured the job final week, Redick has already began attempting to rework a crew that was eradicated within the first spherical of the playoffs by the Denver Nuggets in April.
He has joked with LeBron James about taking pictures extra 3s after he shot a career-high 41 p.c from that distance final season. He spoke with Anthony Davis about being what he referred to as a “hub,” including that he does not know if “he is been utilized in that means and type of maximized all of his talents.” He talked about having nice chats with Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura.
However in a couple of quick months, he will be put to the check.
It is clear that when the Lakers fail, all fingers level on the coach, particularly when LeBron James and Anthony Davis are within the locker room.
So, here is to hoping he can shortly be taught probably the most unforgiving of jobs beneath the brightest of lights. Or else.
No stress, JJ.
Melissa Rohlin is an NBA author for FOX Sports activities. She beforehand coated the league for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Occasions, the Bay Space Information Group and the San Antonio Categorical-Information. Comply with her on Twitter @melissarohlin.
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