After focusing on Bronny’s selection in the draft and signing a new contract, LeBron James can now give his take on JJ Redick’s upcoming stint as the Los Angeles Lakers’ new head coach. Turns out, there’s a sense of excitement on the King’s part about having the former NBA sharpshooter running the show.
A couple of weeks ago, the Lakers hired Redick as their new head coach on a four-year deal. The former Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Clippers star, who retired from playing in 2021 after a 15-year career, has no prior NBA coaching experience, but Los Angeles believed his deep basketball knowledge, personal charisma, and experience-packed coaching staff will help him succeed.
At his introductory press conference, Redick acknowledged the surprise of his hiring by saying he has never coached in the NBA before. However, he emphasized his desire to serve the players, the organization, and the team’s passionate fanbase, with the ultimate goal of delivering a championship-caliber team.
Redick’s coaching experience has been limited to volunteering with his sons’ youth teams, but he plans to lean on his extensive playing career and basketball acumen to make up for this gap. He has already established a strong rapport with Lakers superstar LeBron James, with whom he co-hosts the Mind the Game podcast.
The Lakers are hoping Redick can build on the success of the previous coaching staff, which led the team to the Western Conference Finals and an In-Season Tournament championship in the 2023-24 season. Redick’s hiring represents a bold and unconventional move as the Lakers look to return to championship contention.
LeBron James Speaks Out on JJ Redick’s Upcoming Los Angeles Lakers Coaching Stint
With Redick in the process of hiring his coaching staff, including the recent addition of Greg St. Jean, the former NBA star is slowly building out a plan for next season. In turn, James has spoken about having his Mind the Game co-host as his head coach for next season, as seen in an article by Ben Golliver for The Washington Post.
“I’m super excited to work with JJ and looking forward to the fall,” said James, who co-hosted the “Mind the Game” podcast with Redick this year. “We’re coming in with a new system. We have to learn the system and see what Coach Redick and the rest of the coaching staff wants us to do. My only mind-set is to come back and be ready to work, no matter who is there.”
A couple of months ago, the Lakers parted ways with Darvin Ham after a disappointing 11-game losing streak in the playoffs. Ham had been at the helm for two seasons, leading the team to the Western Conference Finals in his debut year, but the Lakers’ championship aspirations were not met.
It remains to be seen how Redick will do as the Lakers’ head coach when the next season begins. In any case, the King will be there to lift the Purple and Gold up as they begin another run at the championship.
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