JJ Redick has been emphasizing conditioning at the Los Angeles Lakers' training camp. As Gabe Vincent pointed out, it's not something everyone is exactly thrilled about right now, but it will undoubtedly end up benefitting this group as they seek to be in "championship shape."
"I told JJ ... if we all hate you, but we all hate you collectively, that's great," Vincent said with a laugh. "Obviously, no one wants to run at the end of a long practice, but we know the goal we have set for ourselves, and we know what we're trying to do moving forward. We all embraced it, we all got the run in, and we all got better for it."
By employing this strategy and making conditioning not optional, Redick is clearly sending a message to his group: this team is pursuing a championship, and doing so is going to demand some buy-in. The players may not be enamored with it in this very moment, but it's really moments like this that end up building the kind of culture you want when you're pursuing that grand of a goal.
Redick has made it clear that his squad needs to be in tip top shape. LA found themselves at a disadvantage in the playoffs last season when they were outscored and out-hustled in several fourth quarters. Fatigue was clearly a factor, and JJ is looking to bring an early emphasis on fitness this time around.
JJ Redick's goal of the Lakers being in "championship shape" has carried into camp. He joked that players probably didn't like him after finishing today with a conditioning drill.
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) October 2, 2025
Gabe Vincent: "I told JJ...if we all hate you, but we all hate you collectively, that's great." pic.twitter.com/hYEYkCOCuR
Conditioning has been of prime importance at the Lakers' camp
And really, the way Vincent put it is pretty profound. The idea of "hating collectively" speaks to the kind of shared struggle that, if done correctly, is going to end up building cohesion within the locker room. Having every player, from Luka Doncic all the way down to the last man on the roster, go through the same grind reduces any feeling of special treatment and puts everybody on the same playing field.
It's also smart to start things off on the right foot in this way. Redick demanding conditioning right out of the gate like this helps protect against mid-season slumps, excuses, or guys getting slowed down by a lackluster offseason.
While you might think of conditioning drills as something more akin to a high school basketball team, it's also very important at the professional level. These kinds of things are going to show who slows down first, who pushes the hardest until the end, and reveal certain intangibles about different players on this roster.
What that trickles down into is mental resolve, which of course is something that's going to be vital if the Lakers are going to make a deep run in the playoffs come next April. In stressing being in both the best physical and mental shape, JJ Redick is putting this team in the best position possible.