Luke Kennard has been in the NBA for nine seasons and has been pinned down in most places he's been as a shooter. The public perception of him has similarly been that of just being a marksman from beyond the arc. JJ Redick has been bold enough to challenge that concept of late.
The Los Angeles Lakers needed someone to accept more on-ball duties following the injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. 41-year-old LeBron James can only be asked to carry the burden to a certain capacity. Kennard has risen to the occasion.
Thursday night's 119-103 victory for the Lakers over the Golden State Warriors was the third straight game of at least eight assists being notched for the veteran guard. Redick was asked to discuss another terrific night in the playmaking department for Kennard at the postgame press conference.
Redick said: "It's easy because he's a white guy that shoots 3s to just think he's just a shooter. That's just the reality of the situation. ... I've known for a long time that there's a lot to his game and there's a lot he can do as a basketball player, primarily as a playmaker."
Lakers are showing everyone Luke Kennard is more than just a one-trick pony
As a former Duke guard himself, Redick told everyone he watched a lot of Kennard when the now Lakers guard was playing at his alma mater. That was the start of knowing there was more to the player than just shooting the basketball.
Redick was very complimentary of Kennard's ability to use the threat of his shooting and his change of pace to create playmaking opportunities and make the right plays out of those situations. The coach's faith has undoubtedly paid off.
In the small sample size Kennard has gotten as a major offensive initiator, the NBA vet has averaged 9.3 assists per game against only 1.3 turnovers per game. It really has been his best Luka impression.
Kennard's career high across an entire NBA season in the assist department came all the way back in 2019-20 when he posted 4.1 per game. His assist percentage registered as 19.2 during that season. It is worth noting, though, that Kennard only played 28 games in that campaign.
Over his last three games, his assist percentage has been at a whopping 42.2 mark. Limited sample? Sure. Exciting all the same? Absolutely.
Most NBA coaches have wanted Kennard to lean on his greatest strength for his role with their teams through his time in the league. Redick has been bold enough to go beyond that. The daring shot has been rewarded tenfold.