JJ Redick’s first season as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers was nothing short of a roller coaster.
It started with being hired in an unusual fashion as the former sharpshooter had never previously coached at any level. Redick and the Lakers then went through a lot of adversity throughout the course of the regular season, notably including his house being burned down by the Palisades wildfire and then a blockbuster trade for Luka Doncic that completely reshaped the roster.
Through it all though, Redick kept the Lakers focused and the team won 50 games to earn the third seed in the Western Conference before being eliminated in the first round due to their roster shortcomings.
Redick’s stellar first season earned him a contract extension with the Lakers, although that doesn’t mean the pressure to succeed will go away.
When you’re coaching the Lakers, the expectation will always be to compete for championships. That is especially the case this season as Doncic is in the prime of his career and LeBron James is in what could be his final season with the team. Additionally, L.A. addressed their needs this offseason by bringing in Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia.
Even though expectations are always high though, Redick tried to take a measured approach when he was asked about his goals for his second season as a head coach.
“I don’t really have a goal for myself, it’s a goal for the Lakers. It’s a goal for our group,” Redick said before the season opener against the Golden State Warriors. “My goal is for us to win as many days as possible and enjoy doing that. I say this all the time… I judge myself by, did I maximize the group? And did people enjoy coming in the building and going to work every day? If the answer to those two questions is yes, then I did a good job as a coach.”
This was an interesting answer considering the Lakers as an organization are so hell-bent on winning championships. That’s not to say that Redick doesn’t feel the same as winning every day will help them get there, but it’s clear that the last year has given the head coach some perspective.
JJ Redick credits LeBron James for helping in Lakers film session
On the court, the Lakers dropped their season opener against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night. There were a number of issues that the team has to correct, but they addressed them in a film session and head coach JJ Redick credited LeBron James for his involvement despite currently being out with an injury.
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