
JJ Redick admitted that watching LeBron James perform at his level still leaves him feeling behind, even as the Lakers head coach.
The reaction came after LeBron delivered a 30-point performance in the Lakers’ 124-116 win over the Houston Rockets.
Instead of focusing purely on the result, Redick turned the spotlight onto what it takes to sustain that level.
Coach Redick’s postgame comments showed how he processed LeBron’s performance from close range.
“Watching him is actually, probably makes me feel like a loser. Every time he falls on the ground, every time he has a box out, every time he gets hit hard and transitions… I feel it too,” Redick said.
The comment was not criticism, but a reflection of the physical demands LeBron continues to handle even as a 41-year-old.
It also highlights how his intensity remains visible even to those on the sidelines.
Redick expanded on that idea by pointing to the work that allows LeBron to maintain that level.
“I’m just so out of shape right now, it’s remarkable. This is what I was talking about with him,” Redick continued.
The Lakers coach concluded: “It’s just the preparation that he puts in to his body over and over and over again, and to me, that’s the ultimate sign of competitive stamina.
“He just holds on to it every single day, and he gets ready to ring the bell.”
The emphasis on preparation explains why LeBron continues to perform at an elite level despite the physical toll. For Redick, it is not just about talent, but the consistency behind it.
That combination remains the defining factor, and it is why even those around him are still adjusting to the standard he sets.
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