The Los Angeles Lakers made no major changes in the offseason beyond the head coach, where they swapped out Darvin Ham for newcomer JJ Redick. The former sharpshooter has never coached at the professional level, but brings with him a high IQ and incredible knowledge of the sport. He is, largely, working with the same roster that Ham had last season, including starting point guard D’Angelo Russell.
Russell did not have a great relationship with Ham, at least so it appeared on the surface. Ham even went as far as to bench Russell for a portion of the 2023-24 season, only for the guard to respond with the best stretch of his career after being placed back in the starting lineup. So when Russell opted into the final year of his deal and the Lakers could not find a trade, he wanted a better start with his new head coach.
The veteran guard detailed the start of his relationship with Redick and how positive things were right from the jump.
“We had a great conversation leading up to and through free agency,” Russell said. “I just tried to get his information, reach out to him and create some type of rapport and communication, especially if I was returning back. And we just kind of hit it off. I’ve never really connected with him like that, very high IQ guy basketball-wise and personally. I think I gravitated towards that right away.”
Redick is looking for Russell to be more vocal this season after seeing the way in which he communicated during times in the gym this summer. And Russell was just happy to see praise from a head coach on this topic.
“I feel like he’s probably harped on my energy being contagious, so just being a positive guy, a confident guy, IQ guy. I’m vocal, so being vocal in the short time that I’ve been here this summer, I think he kind of recognized it and he’s harped on it a little more than normal. Keep that going, we love to see that and we notice it.
“His kind words mean a lot to me because I’m not used to hearing those.”
Russell is as confident in Redick as the head coach is in him, mainly because of the way he’s seen the former player and media member prepare and work with LeBron James.
“I think as the head coach, you have your own way of doing things,” Russell said. “You have your own voice, your own vision of the way you see things and obviously as players you have it too. So as a head coach, finding that balance with the players is key.
“And when one of your players is one of the greatest of all time, you really have to take that into consideration with what you do and how you prepare. And I think JJ is the perfect guy for that because of his IQ and abilities.”
Russell played some of the best basketball of his life when he didn’t have a necessarily great relationship with his head coach. Perhaps with the same supportive teammates and an equally supportive coach, he can expand on that and play even better in 2024-25.
D’Angelo Russell apologizes for lack of professionalism
It seems that D’Angelo Russell is looking for a fresh start this season with the Lakers as he apologized unprompted at Media Day for his lack of professionalism in recent years.
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