JJ Redick is experiencing some early challenges in his first season as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite a strong start, the Lakers have encountered a rough patch, testing the resolve of the rookie head coach. The Lakers opened the season with three consecutive wins, but have since lost four of their last five games.
On Wednesday night, they suffered a 131-114 defeat at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies. With star forward Anthony Davis sidelined, the Grizzlies capitalized, shooting an impressive 51.6 percent from the floor to hand Los Angeles a lopsided loss.
Following the game, Redick faced the media for his post-game press conference, where tensions ran high. During the Q&A session, a reporter asked about the team’s effort, implying that some players were not meeting expectations. The 40-year-old coach didn’t let the question finish before he ended his media availability.
The reporter began, “You’re talking a lot about two or three guys, getting them to put in the effort. You talked a lot about wanting to play hard and LeBron being the guy that played hard in tonight’s game. How do you address that with the team? What’s your philosophy for approaching …”
Before the question could be completed, Redick interjected, “I just did,” before placing his microphone down and abruptly leaving the press conference. As he walked away, he shouted back, “First thing I said to them,” according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
Redick’s frustration seemed to be directed at some of his players, possibly aiming to send a message to those who were not performing to his standards. One player seemingly in Redick’s crosshairs was point guard D’Angelo Russell, who played a season-low 22 minutes during the loss. After the game, Redick addressed Russell’s reduced minutes, making it clear that it wasn’t a punishment but rather a strategic decision.
“Just level of compete, attention to detail, some of the things we’ve talked with him about for a couple of weeks,” Redick explained. “And at times, he’s been really good with that stuff. And other times, it’s just reverting back to certain habits. But it wasn’t like a punishment. It just felt for us to have a chance to win this game, that was the route we wanted to take.”
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Redick also praised LeBron James, who delivered a stellar performance with 39 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. While he commended James, Redick’s comments seemed to indirectly challenge the rest of the roster.
“Biggest thing that stood out … He played hard,” Redick said. “Almost 40 years old and played the hardest on our team. It says a lot about him.”
Redick’s remarks clearly highlighted James’ exceptional effort, while drawing attention to the need for the rest of the team to match his intensity. The underlying message was evident: if a player approaching 40 years old can set the standard, then the younger members of the team have no excuses.
The Lakers are now left to regroup as they prepare for their next game, which will see them host the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night—a matchup that holds added significance for Redick, who previously played for the Sixers during his NBA career.
With pressure mounting, the Lakers will need to respond to their coach’s call for greater effort and discipline if they hope to turn their season around.
As Redick faces his first major test as an NBA head coach, all eyes will be on how he navigates these early challenges.
For now, it’s clear that he is willing to make tough decisions and hold players accountable, even if that means cutting media sessions short and challenging his team to rise to the occasion.
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