When the Lakers hired JJ Redick on June 20, 2024, the NBA community was split into two camps.
On one side, many were skeptical about having a head coach for the most storied organization in sports with no prior coaching experience. On top of that, the Lakers had championship aspirations with the LeBron James and Anthony Davis nucleus nearing its conclusion.
After Dan Hurley spurred the Lakers to a reunion with UConn, Rob Pelinka and upper management ran out of options.
https://twitter.com/LakersLead/status/1800221346619957373
The Podfather
Redick cemented himself as a realistic coaching hire for LA the moment he appeared alongside LeBron James on the podcast “Mind the Game”. The show highlighted the intricacies and nuances of basketball while offering a look at the dynamic between James and Redick.
In a year, Redick went from podcaster to NBA analyst to broadcaster to coach. The lights would be bright, but the first-time coach wanted the pressure of coaching the Lakers.
The Lakers Coaching Support Staff
Once the hire was official, the first order of business was to surround Redick with stellar assistant coaches. Everyone on the coaching staff had moments in the spotlight, but three of the most critical signings were Nate McMillan, Scott Brooks, and Lindsey Harding.
McMillan and Brooks had over two decades of combined NBA head coaching experience, while Harding won the 2023 G-League Coach of the Year with the Stockton Kings. All three were worthy of becoming the Lakers’ head coach, but took a back seat to Redick and helped him by elevating his game plans and messaging.
https://twitter.com/LakersLead/status/1808521871777738846
JJ Redick’s Analytics-Based Approach
There were many hallmarks of Redick’s coaching philosophy during the 2024-25 season.
For instance, the former sharpshooter made the three-point shot a point of emphasis. The Lakers attempted the third-fewest 3s (31.7) in 2023-24 under Ham. That number shot up to 19th (36.4) under Redick.
While still under league-average, Redick made the most out of a non-shooting personnel. The Lakers also shot slightly above average from 3 at 36.6%, good for 14th in the association. This new ideology, with Redick’s emphasis on spacing, made LA an offensive powerhouse following the Luka Doncic trade.
Redick favored an analytics-based coaching style that emphasises using statistics and numbers. His emphasis on trusting the numbers led to Redick’s only number that mattered: 50 wins in his first season.
Pros
Redick’s greatest gift as a coach is his personability.
As a longtime NBA vet, Redick has a way of uniquely connecting with players. Redick is only 40 years old, making him one of the youngest coaches in the association. He retired in 2021, meaning he’s played against most of the players he coaches. In some cases, like Jaxson Hayes, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Luka Doncic, Redick has been teammates with the players he coaches.
Redick’s ability to connect with players extended to the court, too. He gave underutilized players minutes. Diamonds in the rough like Jordan Goodwin and Trey Jemison III saw run this season.
Goodwin even cracked the playoff rotation.
Partially because of a lack of depth and partially because Redick envisioned a specific role, several NBA journeymen found a home with LA in 2025. Early in the season, it was obvious Redick was not a typical rookie coach.
In terms of schematics, JJ Redick offered more LeBron off-ball, something the 40-year-old needed to preserve his longevity. Redick’s emphasis on LeBron cutting and screening led to sky-high efficiency for The King. Redick let younger ball handlers like Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves carry the offensive load.
On the defensive side, Redick employed a switching scheme that emphasized player communication over everything. After Anthony Davis was traded, the Lakers severely lacked size, but the switching model gave LA an identity and one of the best defenses post-All-Star break.
https://twitter.com/LakersLead/status/1895358409463210472
Additionally, Redick was one of the many who unfortunately lost their homes during the Palisades Fire in early January. Redick and his family relocated from Brooklyn when he joined the Lakers.
When the fires happened and the subsequent months following, Redick made himself a visual figure amongst those grieving for the loss of property. His level-headedness and empathy during a time of great sorrow impressed many. Redick’s vulnerability ingratiated him amongst the Los Angelinos.
Cons
Critics emphasized Redick’s lack of experience.
Before taking the head coaching position for LA, Redick’s only other coaching experience was coaching his son’s fourth-grade basketball team. Redick’s less-than-stellar coaching resume also led many to criticize his temperament and preparedness.
Overall, Redick dealt with the growing pains of a rookie coach without the media’s typical grace.
Redick’s biggest slip-up during his debut season that will stick with him is his playoff performance. Redick was thoroughly outcoached by Timberwolves’ coach Chris Finch. Redick shortened the rotation greatly, leading to the Lakers’ starters being fatigued by the end of the game.
In the five-game series, LA was thoroughly outscored in the final frame, much of which is attributed to Redick not giving his starters a breather earlier in the game. This off-season, Redick and President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka will need to focus on size and depth if they want to make a pursuit for championship No. 18.
Verdict on Redick
JJ Redick may not have reached the heights many had for him when he embarked on his first playoff run with the Lakers.
However, when you take a step back and look at where the Lakers were 12 months ago with Darvin Ham, compared to now, it is easy to be encouraged by the Lakers’ future trajectory. Much of that optimism is credited to JJ Redick and his coaching staff. Taking an analytics-based approach has rejuvenated a stagnant franchise. With Luka in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future, the Lakers employ one of the best coach-player tandems in the league. Even better, neither has hit their prime.
Leave a comment