When the Los Angeles Lakers hired JJ Redick to become the franchise's next head coach, everyone involved was aware of the risk. Redick had never coached beyond the amateur level, and was about to get his first opportunity on an NBA sideline in the most high-pressure environment in the sport.
In an interview conducted outside of the typically defined sports realm, however, Redick spoke about the more nuanced details of basketball—including a crucial element of a head coach's success.
Redick played 15 seasons in the NBA after previously starring as the face of college basketball. He's no stranger to pressure in that regard, as his time as the top star on the Duke Blue Devils yielded a degree of scrutiny that few have ever experienced in the sports world.
In an appearance on Hasan Minahj Doesn't Know, Redick perhaps incidentally offered insight into how he plans to navigate the new brand of criticism and build a sustainable contender in Los Angeles.
"Player development is about putting people in game-like environments and then drilling that versus drilling how to get to your bag. I had a coach tell me this year, I was asking, I was like: This player has gotten better in pick and roll : 'Yeah, we have pick and roll study hall. We'll sit there and watch one specific player that does one specific thing really well in pick and roll, and then we'll go out on the court and recreate that environment so he works on those reads."
It's a comment that could easily be glossed over as something Redick heard another coach say, but the fact that it stuck with him is a shining example of why he can be successful.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick understands the value of being thorough
The interview with Minahj shows that Redick isn't coming into the Lakers job with the expectation that his existing knowledge will be enough for him to get by on. He's a true student of the game who values the opinions and coaching habits of those he respects around the NBA.
An approach as thorough as studying one single element of what a player does well in a remarkably specific area of the game is the type of mentality that typically breeds great results.
That's true on a general level, but may not prove any more valuable than with the current Lakers roster. It'll certainly help that Anthony Davis and LeBron James are future Hall of Famers who know more about the game than just about anyone walking the Earth.
Redick's mentality is one that embraces the belief that the sport evolves and there's always something to learn about it, however, and that should only make the Lakers' All-NBA duo better.
Beyond the superstars, Redick takes an approach that should help Los Angeles achieve the essential accomplishment of developing the surrounding talent. That includes productive players such as Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, and D'Angelo Russell, and up-and-comers Jalen Hood-Schifino and Dalton Knecht.
Perhaps more important than any individual player is the fact that Redick has the perfect mentality for maximizing team results—and preparing for any caliber of opponent.
Redick's thoughts on player development aren't as simple as looking at an area of weakness and asking them to improve. He's embracing the mentality that others have figured this out and thus have answers that could help his own players—no matter how minute the details may seem.
Putting those words into practice will be an entirely different challenge, but it's a promising start for a head coach whose answer to criticism seems to be meticulous preparation.