Apr 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half during game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Lakers' JJ Redick Reveals Why His Players May Not Like Him in Practice

Originally posted on Los Angeles Lakers on SI
By Jason Fray | Last updated Oct 4, 2025 2:00 PM ET

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick has been steadfast in getting the team into Championship-level shape.

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Part of his philosophy from an identity standpoint is cultivating a team that will get out and run on the offensive end of the floor whether off a rebound or even off inbounding the ball.

While Luka Doncic may have unfairly been pegged as the poster child for not being in peak optimal shape, the team as a whole seemingly is feeling the wrath of Redick's training camp conditioning program as he told reporters earlier this week.

JJ Redick ended practice with making the team do a series of full-court sprints; 6 lengths in 34 seconds, followed by 10 lengths in a minute and ending with a final 6 lengths in 34 seconds. Redick: “I don’t know if they like me right now” pic.twitter.com/RzDkXL3t6P
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 2, 2025

"I don't know if they like me right now. I think there's three ways I kind of view 'Are we in shape?' The first would be, 'Are we sprinting back defensively?' 'Are we playing with pace offensively?' And I would include our ability to crash and then get back on defense in that," Redick said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. "And then, 'Are we being physical?' "So, if those things are being done at a really high level, we're in shape."

Epic Training Camp Workouts

According to reports, the team ran full-court sprints at the conclusion of one of the practices this past week. The team had to run intervals with assigned times for each slate of repetitions. One metric involved the team running six court lengths in 34 seconds.

After a quick stoppage, the team then had to run 10 court lengths in under a minute. Another short break was then followed by six court lengths in 34 seconds or less.

JJ Redick's goal of the Lakers being in "championship shape" has carried into camp. He joked that players probably didn't like him after finishing today with a conditioning drill.

Gabe Vincent: "I told JJ...if we all hate you, but we all hate you collectively, that's great." pic.twitter.com/hYEYkCOCuR
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) October 2, 2025

Veteran guard Gabe Vincent spoke with local media and looked at the running as a way for the team to bond together, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register.

"I told [Redick] about a week or two ago, I said, 'If we all hate you, but we all hate you collectively, that's great.' So as long as we're together in it," Vincent said.

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"Obviously no one wants to run at the end of a long practice, but we know the goal we have set for ourselves and we know what we're trying to do moving forward," Vincent added. "And we all embraced it. We all got the run in and we all got better for it."

Assuming the Lakers can get out and run, the offense featuring Doncic, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, and a host of shooters should be very lethal.