JJ Redick is in the midst of his second season as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers and he is taking positive strides in terms of growth.
Not to say Redick’s rookie year was not impressive, but there were bumps, particularly in the postseason. To his credit, he was aware of his shortcomings in the playoffs and the former 15-year NBA veteran used that as a learning experience this past offseason.
Despite injuries coming in waves, L.A. remains in the mix for one of the top seeds in the Western Conference. This is a credit to Redick and his coaching staff for keeping the team together despite maneuvering through the early season with key players missing time.
Gabe Vincent recently gave credit to his head coach for developing from last year, as there were plenty of lessons, but he thinks he has a solid foundation this season, via Mark Medina of EssentiallySports:
“I think our feet are a little bit more under us. They’re a little bit more comfortable with learning from stuff that happened last year. They’re just growing in a number of ways. So it’s been great. The message has been received better this year. I think we’re moving in the right direction.”
After a multitude of moves last season, the Lakers have a set core and everyone knows their roles. Vincent pointed out that this specific group had a good summer together, which led to early signs of cohesion led by the coaching staff:
“It’s a different group. It’s a fresh group, if you will. Last year, we had two or three different teams in one season. So it’s a fresh group. We had a good summer. We’ve been together. We’ve seen our cohesiveness show.”
Team chemistry is what makes or breaks a season and Los Angeles appears to be on a great trajectory. Every player is cheering on each other with healthy communication on the floor and Redick clearly has his team bought into a vision.
Frankly, the Lakers have not had a culture set in place since LeBron James arrived. Obviously, the 2020 championship was noteworthy, but there has been considerable instability and roster turnover since.
The returns on Redick as a leader look positive as players respect his vision. As this year progresses, during the ups and downs, hopefully these vibes sustain.
JJ Redick ‘looking at everything’ to fix defensive struggles
A new problem JJ Redick has to fix this season is the team’s defense, particularly in transition. After a couple of subpar defensive performances, Redick was honest and admitted that he is “looking at everything” to find a solution.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
