Earlier this week, the Los Angeles Lakers finally made a decision about what they want to do in terms of replacing Darvin Ham after parting ways with the head coach after two seasons with the team.
Although there was a whole saga involving UConn’s Dan Hurley and seemingly endless rumors about who might be Ham’s successor in Los Angeles, the Lakers ultimately went with the candidate who was always considered the frontrunner for the job, with JJ Redick becoming the new leader on the sideline.
Over the past two months, there have been many reports about what the Lakers see in Redick, with many confused about why the storied franchise would take a chance on a first-time head coach without any coaching experience on any level.
One of the comparisons Redick received was that he was like Pat Riley or could succeed in the same way the Lakers legend did in Los Angeles.
Now, Redick is getting comparisons to longtime Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, which continues to set the bar incredibly high for the former player and ESPN analyst, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic via NBA Central.
“The 39-year-old Redick checks many of the boxes on the Lakers’ extensive checklist for their next coach. He’s drawn internal comparisons to a young Pat Riley as a coaching prospect who jumped from playing to the broadcast booth to the coaching chair. Los Angeles is confident he can be their version of Erik Spoelstra or Steve Kerr – a culture-setter who can grow with the franchise for over a decade.”
The Lakers believe that JJ Redick could be their version of Erik Spoelstra, per @ShamsCharania
“The 39-year-old Redick checks many of the boxes on the Lakers’ extensive checklist for their next coach. He’s drawn internal comparisons to a young Pat Riley as a coaching prospect… pic.twitter.com/2YhGF2rj2V
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 20, 2024
Unfortunately for Redick, even if he succeeds in this coaching gig, it is unlikely he can live up to these kinds of ridiculous comparisons, which might set him up for failure.
Only time will tell whether Redick has what it takes to be a head coach in the NBA, let alone the head coach of such an iconic franchise, but this is the choice the Lakers brass has made, and it might turn out to be quite regrettable.
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