Nov 18, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick at press conference at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Lakers' JJ Redick Called Out by Timberwolves Coach

Originally posted on Los Angeles Lakers on SI
By Ricardo Klein | Last updated Nov 20, 2025 12:30 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers have gotten off to a phenomenal start this season. Despite a mountain of injuries early on, they sit at 11-4 through their first 15 games.

LA has shown it’s more than capable of competing with the Western Conference’s best, and head coach JJ Redick has been a major reason why.

Redick is in his second season leading the Lakers, and so far, he’s picked up right where he left off last year, at least when it comes to the regular season.

His hiring caused some controversy, as he came into the role with no prior coaching experience beyond guiding his son’s youth basketball team for a handful of years.

Still, he silenced many doubters during his first season, guiding the Lakers to 50 wins in 2024-25. Some critics remain, though, including Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch, who recently took a playful shot at Redick on The Ringer’s “The Zach Lowe Show.”

"I bet you three quarters of these people are going to go home and do a podcast tonight," Finch said. "I mean, it'll qualify you to coach the Lakers."

Wolves coach Chris Finch on podcasting:

“I mean, it’ll qualify you to coach the Lakers.”pic.twitter.com/xdbvMbMkUU
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) November 14, 2025

Finch’s lower-seeded Timberwolves defeated the Lakers in five games during last year’s playoffs.

Even without a traditional coaching resume, or any at all, Redick’s basketball knowledge has never been in question. His podcasts—The Old Man and the Three and Mind the Game with LeBron James — showcased his understanding of the game long before he stepped onto the Lakers’ sideline.

Many pointed to the fact that Redick and James having a podcast together was the only reason he got the job.

While some were outraged that the Lakers, one of the most storied franchises in sports, would hire a first-time coach, Redick has proven he’s up to the challenge. In his short tenure, he’s amassed a 61-36 record thus far and led LA to a No. 3 seed in a loaded Western Conference last season. This year, the Lakers have the potential to surpass that win total— and then some.

The franchise clearly believes in him, too, signing Redick to a two-year, $45 million extension before the start of the season, keeping him under contract through the 2029-30 campaign.

Redick still has a long way to go, but so far things are looking up for him and his team.

This article first appeared on FanNation All Lakers and was syndicated with permission.

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