JJ Reddick is undoubtedly one of today’s NBA’s most intelligent and engaging voices.
He was the first active player to start a regular podcast, paving the way for a host of others. Establishing his agency, ThreeFourTwo Productions, in 2020, he has shaped the way basketball content is created, leading the break away from conventional dramatised talk shows; his appearances on ESPN’s First Take were a breath of fresh air in a whirlwind of sensationalised nonsense and sporting ignorance.
The recent ‘Mind the Game’ program in collaboration with the great Lebron James marks the culmination of his assault on the unintellectual approach to basketball media. He speaks authoritatively, using statistical evidence and NBA experience to teach and interact with fans who are more interested in the game than the soap opera surrounding it.
At least he did.
It was announced on Monday that JJ Redick would be the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Just as his abrasively accurate reporting style pierced basketball’s barriers, having just landed himself the NBA finals commentary gig, he will now lead the most prominent basketball team in the world.
Whilst I, like many other basketball nerds, will grieve his absence for the tragedy it is, his appointment as a coach poses some intriguing questions…
For starters, does coaching experience matter anymore? JJ’s two 55 Swish League championships represent the pinnacle of his ‘official’ coaching career. He was coaching 8-10 year-olds.
However, experience doesn’t necessarily buy you rings: Doc Rivers and Tyronn Lue are both NBA champions, but they haven’t been able to lead their team to the finals since Lebron left Cleveland. Joe Mazulla is three years younger than his centre, Al Horford. He is a two-year NBA head coach and is now a champion. Maybe talent and cohesion are more important than a resume.
But do the Lakers seriously think they can win a championship with this roster led by a rookie coach? Lebron will be 40 this season. He’s on his fourth head coach in five years and will be heavily relied on if LA wants to be playing come June next year. Whilst “the king” does not require coaching, and a two-way phenom like Anthony Davis is a coach’s dream, Redick will have to show off all his encyclopaedic basketball knowledge if he is going to whip what is an average Laker roster into an elite force. General Manager Rob Pelinka has faith, but many will question how sensible it is to throw a novice to the wolves.
“JJ is a fierce competitor and has an extraordinary basketball IQ and understanding of the modern game that will energise players and excite fans,” said Pelinka in his statement.
“His rigorous analysis will immediately unlock new opportunities for our roster while setting a foundation for player development over the long term.
“He brings an intense dedication to innovation, advancing the game and staying at the forefront of an ever-evolving league.
“This is an exciting time for Lakers basketball.”
I will concede that no GM would say upon announcing a new head coach that their plans were short-term. But I think it is worth noting his emphasis on player development and roster “opportunities.” This roster will surely be lost when Lebron retires within the next two years. LA relies too heavily on veteran minimum contract seekers on the chase for a ring at the end of their careers and hasn’t provided enough consistency for young talent to mature, aside from the revelation that is Austin Reaves.
Perhaps Redick’s hiring was completed with the long-term in mind; is a structural shift in the Laker’s organisation taking place as they stare down the barrel of a taxing rebuild? Will they begin to nurture and build up exciting prospects rather than flip them for the newest disgruntled star?
I hope, for JJ’s sake, that this is the case. As highly as his knowledge of “X’s and O’s” is regarded, winning a championship in a terrifyingly competitive Western conference may prove too challenging. But growing with a young, high-potential lineup sounds more like Redick’s style.
Otherwise, you have to respect the audacity.
“I take this responsibility very seriously,” said Redick.
“My motivations for doing this, it starts with a very simple foundation of service. I think about the greatest moments, especially towards the end of my career, it was about helping players, and so it starts with the desire to serve players, to serve the Lakers organisation, to serve our fans.
“It’s also about competition and performance. Collaboration, Leadership. These are things that drive me and will all be important as I build out my staff.
“The last three years have been invaluable in preparing me for this moment.
“This is what I’m supposed to be doing.”
