The Lakers are working with JJ Redick as their brand-new head coach, an AP source says

By GREG BEACHAM

Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES-- JJ Redick is being employed as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, a person with knowledge of the choice tells The Associated Press.

The individual spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday due to the fact that the Lakers had not yet publicly revealed the decision to work with the previous guard for his very first coaching job.

The 39-year-old Redick is an extraordinary option by the Lakers, who worked with a 15-year veteran with definitely no coaching experience to lead a franchise with 17 NBA titles, among the biggest brand names in world sports-- and LeBron James, the leading scorer in league history.

Redick was a skilled outside shooter for 6 groups before his retirement in September 2021, when he moved into a career in broadcasting and podcasting. He signed up with ESPN's lead commentary team previously this year.

ESPN initially reported the decision.

Before Redick ended up transmitting the NBA Finals, he consulted with the Lakers last weekend and apparently did well enough to end the franchise's prolonged training search. Less than 2 weeks after UConn coach Danny Hurley turned down the Lakers' ardent advances, Redick has actually accepted the task in an exceptional three-year journey from the court to the broadcast booth to the Lakers' bench.

Redick replaces Darvin Ham, who was fired May 3 regardless of leading the Lakers to 2 playoff berths and a Western Conference finals look in 2023.

Redick started recording a routine podcast with James two months back, and their "Mind the Game" cooperation is already extremely popular, with listeners frequently emerging amazed by the duo's basketball acumen and top-level conversation of techniques and motivation.

Now these 2 minds will be working together for the Lakers, with Redick leading a lineup headlined by James, who is six months younger than Redick.

Whatever is contingent on James choosing to go back to play with Anthony Davis and the Lakers, obviously. James, who will enter his 22nd NBA season this fall, could decrease his $51.4 million contract choice this month to become a free agent.

But hiring Redick appears to be another determined move by the Lakers to maximize their possibilities of keeping the 20-time All-Star and the driving force behind their 2020 championship group.

Redick's coaching experience is limited to his children's youth teams, but he has been around the game his entire life. He is the leading scorer in the history of Duke, where he played four seasons under Mike Krzyzewski.

And though Redick is an unorthodox option, his unlikely climb is not without some precedent in Lakers tradition and current NBA history.

When Paul Westhead took over as their head coach after Jack McKinney almost passed away in a bike accident, Pat Riley was a broadcaster for the Lakers in November 1979. Westhead hired Riley as an assistant without coaching experience, and Riley became the Lakers' head coach in late 1981 after Westhead clashed with Magic Johnson.

Riley immediately led the Lakers to four champions in the 1980s to start his incredible career as a coach and executive.

And then there's Steve Kerr, the former shooting guard and Phoenix Suns executive who had never ever coached before he took over at Golden State in 2014. Kerr has led Stephen Curry's Warriors to four championships and six NBA Finals appearances in the previous decade.

Redick's arrival ends another unusual offseason training search for owner Jeanie Buss, basic manager Rob Pelinka and the Lakers, who are employing their 8th head coach because Phil Jackson's last departure in 2011, and their 4th given that James arrived as a free agent in 2018.

Los Angeles required six weeks to pick Ham in the summertime of 2022, but the long time assistant coach was dismissed after the Lakers lost to defending champ Denver in the preliminary of the Western Conference playoffs.

Ham led the Lakers to 2 winning seasons and a triumph in the inaugural In-Season Tournament last year, however numerous fans and observers-- and, clearly, the Lakers' front office-- were not impressed by his leadership or preparation.

Davis memorably said during the playoffs that the Lakers "have stretches where we do not understand what we're doing on both ends of the floor."

The Lakers worked with Ham after shooting Frank Vogel, who had been fired precisely 18 months after he won a title in the Florida bubble. Vogel changed Luke Walton after another long coaching search in which the Lakers were commonly reported to have actually wanted Tyronn Lue, only for an offer to break down over issues with money and control.

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