JJ Redick Calls Lakers Coaching Staff a ‘Bunch of Sickos’
Rookie head coach JJ Redick expressed his excitement about the Los Angeles Lakers’ coaching staff as they prepared for the upcoming season.
“I’m just really excited to work, being in the gym here with the guys and our coaching staff,” Redick said on the “Lakeshow” podcast on September 6. “That’s been the best part. It’s been fascinating, putting the puzzle pieces together with their skillsets and personalities. I couldn’t be happier with the staff we’ve built.
We’ve got a great mix of youth and experience. Obviously, Nate [McMillan] and Scotty [Brooks], but also Bob Beyer, who’s been at the front of the bench for nearly two decades. The biggest thing for me was making sure I had a bunch of sickos on my staff—and I think I’ve done that. They’re grinders.”
Redick’s staff includes former NBA head coaches McMillan and Brooks, along with G League Coach of the Year Lindsey Harding. Beyer, Greg St. Jean, and Beau Levesque round out the coaching team.
Combined, McMillan and Brooks have coached 2,363 NBA games. Brooks, a former NBA Coach of the Year, led the Oklahoma City Thunder with young stars Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden to the 2012 NBA Finals.
Lakers Coaches Named to ‘NBA 40 Under 40’
Both Redick and assistant coach Lindsey Harding were named to The Athletic’s NBA 40 Under 40 list.
Redick, 40, was thriving as a TV broadcaster and social media figure when the Lakers offered him his first NBA coaching position, despite having no prior experience on the bench.
The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov noted that this achievement “speaks to his basketball IQ and the respect he’s earned, not just after 15 years in the NBA, but through his smart media appearances and basketball podcast.”
The list, which includes NBA coaches and rising front-office personnel, was compiled after extensive discussions with league insiders.
Before joining the Lakers, Redick worked for ESPN as their top basketball analyst. His former coach, Doc Rivers, left ESPN to coach the Milwaukee Bucks.
Harding, also 40, was the first woman to win NBA G League Coach of the Year after leading the Stockton Kings, Sacramento’s G League affiliate, to a league-best 24-10 record. She and Redick both interviewed for the Charlotte Hornets’ head coaching position, which eventually went to Charles Lee, 39, who also made the NBA 40 Under 40 list.
Harding’s role with the Lakers marks another step in a career filled with success. A former No. 1 pick in the 2007 WNBA Draft, Harding was a standout player at Duke and had a strong professional career, noted Vorkunov.
JJ Redick Welcomes the Pressure of Coaching the Lakers
Redick understands the challenges that come with coaching the Lakers, especially in his first head coaching role.
During his introductory press conference, Redick explained that this was the job he had been striving for, having missed out on coaching opportunities in Toronto last year and in Charlotte earlier this offseason.
“I’ve done some amazing things in my life,” Redick said, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. “But this might be the best. It’s not just about getting the job, it’s about doing the job. I wanted to coach the Los Angeles Lakers.”
Redick also acknowledged the pressure that comes with coaching stars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
“Sitting in this seat, I know what the expectations are. Lakers fans are some of the most passionate in the world, and the expectation is a championship,” Redick said. “It’s my job, our staff’s job, Rob [Pelinka’s] job—all of us—to deliver a championship-caliber team. That’s what I signed up for.”