Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick was a truly unique hire. Redick earned his stripes as a 15-year pro, but his transition to coaching was actually fueled by his work as a podcaster and analyst—due in no small part to his educational and fact-based approach to the platforms he appeared on.
That would be an intriguing storyline in any market, but Redick is taking to the professional sidelines as a coach for the first time in his career on a Lakers team that has Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
With this unprecedented hire established, Redick will now have a chance to make his mark on a team in limbo. Los Angeles has two of the best players in the NBA, but it's also tasked its new leader with developing the pillars of tomorrow.
In an interview with Khobi Price of The Orange County Register, Redick elaborately discussed the unique circumstances within which his first season will transpire.
“I know that [there are] people I know and I kind of fall in this camp of, I get more enjoyment and fulfillment when there [are] stakes, when there [are] consequences to competition,” Redick told the SCNG. “This is not a situation where there’s a long runway of rebuilding or developing five first-round picks. It’s like a perfect marriage of the now and the future."
Redick continued, explaining that he embraces the pressure that comes with coaching the Lakers, let alone a purple and gold franchise operating along an imbalanced timeline.
“You have established Hall of Famers that are still playing at an extremely high level. You have up-and-coming players that we can tap into and pour into even more. And then you have a bunch of guys that we’re going to try to develop into really good NBA players. I’m not scared. I said this to [Lakers general manager] Rob [Pelinka] when I was getting interviewed: I can have an idea of what the scrutiny is going to be. I’m expecting it to be unimaginable, while also expecting it to be worse than I could ever imagine. And I’m like, ‘OK, that’s fine.’ That’s fine. It’s all good.”
It takes a special breed of person to welcome the challenge that comes with coaching the Lakers, but Redick appears to be up to the task.
JJ Redick isn't scared of the pressure he's soon to face
Redick brings a unique perspective to the Lakers job as an individual who knows all about facing constant scrutiny. Before he was an NBA player, he was the face of college basketball—and, being the top star on the Duke Blue Devils, faced endless amounts of criticism for every step he took.
Redick may have been a role player in the NBA, but his experience at Duke provided him with a unique outlook on how to face the inevitable conditions of his Lakers tenure.
Every time the Lakers lose a game or a player endures a stretch of poor performances, Redick will feel the walls closing in around him. That may not actually be the case, but the outside world will be sure to make him think that it is.
Thankfully, Redick's past experiences and willingness to address this pending reality as directly as possible bodes well for his ability to tune out the skeptics.
Beyond the experience under pressure that Redick brings to Los Angeles, he's also direct in his knowledge of what he'll be expected to provide. He thoroughly understands how many jars he'll need to have hands in if this team is going to realize its potential.
Between positioning the superstars to contend, helping up-and-coming players find their footing, and enabling role players to reach another level, Redick will have three daunting jobs to complete.
Saying the right things doesn't mean that Redick will succeed, but he's done as much as he possibly can up to this point. He seems to be connecting with the players and is giving everyone an opportunity to become the best versions of themselves.
Promoting a team-first mentality without losing the players' individuality is the perfect brand for Redick to build as he navigates the endlessly scrutinized experience as Lakers head coach.