When the Los Angeles Lakers hired JJ Redick as head coach, expectations were low. Many analysts and players questioned whether he could transform the franchise and put them in contention for an 18th NBA title. But the former player took it as a challenge, and the rest is history.
The Lakers have emerged as one of the top contenders for this year’s NBA championship, especially after the surprising addition of Luka Dončić. They’ve won eight of their last 10 games and seem poised to end their five-year championship drought. How did Redick exceed expectations? It turns out he found a mentor in Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay.
JJ Redick Sought Advice From Los Angeles Rams’ Sean McVay Before Taking Los Angeles Lakers Job
Before stepping into his coaching role, Redick reached out to McVay for advice. The two coaches share similarities—McVay became the youngest NFL head coach in modern history when the Rams hired him in 2017 at age 30. He quickly turned the franchise around, leading them to six playoff appearances and a Super Bowl victory in 2021.
Many have compared Redick to McVay, but the rookie coach sees things differently. While he respects McVay, he doesn’t put himself in the same category. However, he did seek his insight.
“First of all, comparison is the thief of joy, and I love Sean,” Redick said. “He is actually someone I talked to a bunch before I took this job. Unfortunately, we’ve both been busy and have not been able to connect. His season started, and then my season started.”
Though they haven’t had time for deep discussions since the season began, McVay’s influence is evident in Redick’s coaching mindset—an aggressive, detail-oriented approach.
The Lakers coach also opened up about how coaching has changed his perspective. As a player, he always had a competitive edge, but as a coach, that intensity has evolved into something else—paranoia.
“I was trying to explain this to my brother, who’s in town this week, after the game the other night. It’s just like—the game ends, and even when you win, it’s immediately, ‘Man, we could have done this better,’ or ‘Man, we are going to get exposed on this.’ Whether it’s realistic or not, I don’t know. But it’s that constant paranoia that’s always there as a coach.”
While Redick is still navigating his first season as an NBA head coach, it’s clear he has taken lessons from one of football’s brightest minds. Whether that mentorship leads Los Angeles to championship glory remains to be seen, but so far, the results seem promising.