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Who is JJ Redick? All you need to know about Los Angeles Lakers’ head coach

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Aikansh Chaudhary | Last updated Aug 23, 2025 9:00 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers have faced repeated failures in the postseason since their 2020 NBA title run.

As 17-time NBA champions, the Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most popular franchises in the world. The Lakers have been home to some iconic NBA stars like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Magic Johnson.

But at the same time, the Purple and Gold have housed some terrific head coaches as well. Be it Phil Jackson, who helped win five NBA championships, or Pat Riley, who was the brain behind the ‘Showtime era,’ the Lakers treat their icons well.

This is evident from coach Riley getting a statue outside the Crypto.com Arena. Now, JJ Redick has a shot at potentially etching his name among all-time great Lakers coaches.

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JJ Redick’s NBA coaching journey started with the LA Lakers

Coaching the iconic franchise comes with its own difficulties, such as insanely high expectations from the Laker Nation.

The NBA community witnessed how easily former Lakers coach Darvin Ham succumbed to that pressure. As a result, many doubted the Lakers’ hiring of Redick as their head coach in 2024.

Despite being touted to fail, coach Redick proved his worth to the top brass and fans alike by leading the Lakers to a 50-32 win record in his debut season.

But with the Lakers being eliminated in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, coach Redick was understandably rattled.

The silver lining is the fact that the Lakers have a much better roster heading into the 2025-26 NBA season with the additions of Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart during the summer.

Additionally, it will be Luka Doncic’s first full season with the team, and it will be interesting to see how Redick can utilize the Slovenian superstar.

JJ Redick’s NBA playing career

Even if Redick lacks NBA coaching experience, he has been involved in the game of basketball for decades.

First as a sensational college player for Duke, but later as a sharpshooter in the NBA. Redick spent 15 seasons in the NBA, averaging 12.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.

While Redick was initially a role player off the bench, he broke out as a phenomenal starting shooter for the LA Clippers in his prime.

Despite a long career, Redick retired without winning an NBA Championship. Can he use that hunger to win titles for the Lakers? Only time will tell.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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