When the Los Angeles Lakers entered free agency last summer, general manager Rob Pelinka decided to take some chances on low-risk, high-reward players, with one being Cam Reddish.
Reddish was linked to the Lakers the previous two seasons at the trade deadline but nothing materialized. They were finally able to sign him on a two-year, veteran minimum deal, although there was uncertainty over what to expect from the former Duke Blue Devils standout.
Reddish was someone who had a lot of promise as a lottery pick in 2019 but struggled to find his way in the NBA with the Lakers being his fourth team at the age of 24. However, Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid recently had high praise for Reddish, believing he was the best player in the 2019 NBA Draft, via Tidal League:
“To this day, I think the best player in that class was Cam Reddish. Hands down. Just the way he scored the ball. It was pure. It was just like a bucket. That’s just what it was… I don’t really know too much, but I just know like if you ask anybody in that class, even the class under, they’re watching us obviously, they would tell you that Cam was him. He’s a bucket.”
It’s worth noting that Zion Williamson, who was teammates with Reddish at Duke, was the No. 1 pick in the 2019 Draft, which goes just how high this praise is from Reid. While Reddish’s offense may not have translated from Duke to the NBA, he is still a great perimeter defender but has to develop a consistent 3-point shot to remain in the league.
The Lakers rolled the dice by signing Reddish, but it is clear that he is confident in L.A. learning alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He has yet to be a part of a championship-contending team and this has served as a prime opportunity for Reddish to learn what it takes to be a winning player.
Not many Lakers fans had Reddish being a long-term starter, but he has had strong defensive performances with occasional strong offensive showings. With the expectation he had as a lottery pick and then struggling to get playing time, Reddish needed confidence and reassurance that he belonged in the NBA, and the Lakers provided that.
Anthony Davis believes Cam Reddish is playing at highest confidence
Since Darvin Ham was brought in as head coach, it is clear that he values defense and having players that take pride on that end. Reddish has been an example of that while taking strides in his scoring abilities, leading Anthony Davis to believe he is playing with the highest confidence in his career.
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