JJ Redick press conference: Lakers GM Rob Pelinka says new coach was 'Plan A,' LeBron James not 'heavily involved'

Bryan Murphy

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JJ Redick press conference: Lakers GM Rob Pelinka says new coach was 'Plan A,' LeBron James not 'heavily involved' image

It's officially official — JJ Redick is the newest head coach of the Lakers. 

Los Angeles made the formal announcement on Monday that the former guard-turned-analyst is taking over the bench for one of the most historic franchises in the NBA.

The Lakers elected to part ways with former head coach Darvin Ham after their first-round exit against the Nuggets in the 2024 playoffs. Soon after, Redick's name was tied to the position, so it was not a surprise when it was reported last week that he was signing a four-year deal to join the Lakers. 

It's not only Redick's first head coaching gig in the league, it's also his first NBA coaching job, period. While he may not bolster any sort of coaching resume, the Lakers felt as though his knowledge and passion for the game that have shown through during his short media career will translate to an NBA bench. 

There were certainly some questions about the hire, and the team held a press conference on Monday to provide some answers.

LAKERS HIRE JJ REDICK

JJ Redick press conference

If any fans were doubting whether Redick is ready to take on the role of an NBA head coach, his initial press conference should have decreased that skepticism a tad. 

Redick did not shy away from addressing the fact that he does not own an extensive coaching resume. The best part is he did it with a sense of humor, taking a very slight jab at those who have brushed the hire to the side due to his lack of experience. 

"I have never coached in the NBA before," Redick said with a smirk. "I don't know if you guys have heard that."

It's true, he does not have any NBA coaching experience. However, he does have 15 years in the NBA as a player, allowing him to bring plenty of passion and intelligence of the game to his new role.  

The difference in careers is another point that was brought up, considering that UConn head coach Dan Hurley was rumored to be interested in the job. Ultimately, the two-time national champion elected to stay in college with the Huskies program. However, Lakers GM Rob Pelinka assured fans that Redick was "Plan A" all along despite the intrigue from Hurley. 

Even with Pelinka's claim that Redick remained the frontrunner, the new head coach "understood" why the Lakers at least considered Hurley for the position. 

"Dan Hurley is a two-time national champion at UConn," Redick said. "I am a two-time 55 Swish League Champion in the third and fourth grade division. I understood." 

The one thing Redick is not concerned about is "dispelling" the misconceptions about him. Redick made it clear what his goal was — while using some profanity to really drive the point home. 

"It's been a really interesting six weeks or so, just in terms of being part of the engagement farming industry," Redick said. "It's been really interesting ... I really don't give a f—, honestly. I want to coach the Lakers. I want to coach the team. I don't want to dispel anything.

"I want to become a great coach in the NBA, and I want to win championships, and I want my players to maximize their careers. That's all I f—ing care about."

Interestingly, Pelinka noted that LeBron James was "supportive" but not "heavily involved" in the Lakers' head coaching decision, but Anthony Davis was "heavily involved." Fans and non-fans are unlikely to believe that, but Pelinka also went out of his way to say that Redick and James' podcast had nothing to do with the decision.

You can watch the full press conference with Redick below: 

Bryan Murphy

Bryan Murphy Photo

Bryan Murphy joined The Sporting News in 2022 as the NHL/Canada content producer. Previously he worked for NBC Sports on their national news desk reporting on breaking news for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, in addition to covering the 2020 and 2022 Olympic Games. A graduate of Quinnipiac University, he spent time in college as a beat reporter covering the men’s ice hockey team.