The Lakers head coach broke down what he values most in a coach at Monday's practice.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick was between drills at Monday's practice, getting his team ready for a Western Conference Semifinals matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, when he talked about what actually separates good coaches from everyone else.
His answer was straightforward, and it also happened to explain a lot about why his first two seasons running the Lakers have gone the way they have.
"I appreciate all perspectives," Redick said at practice. "There's a lot of value in guys and girls that start in the film room and I think you can learn a lot. The two things that stand out to me the most about coaching in general is a general curiosity and desire to learn... And then the second thing is the ability to communicate. If you have those two things, it doesn't matter your background as a coach. You can be a good coach and you can be successful."
The Record Backs It Up
Redick knows from experience too.
He was hired in June 2024 with no prior coaching experience beyond running his son's fourth-grade team, and the former 15-year NBA veteran stepped into one of the biggest jobs in professional sports and started winning right away.
The Lakers went 50-32 in his first season before improving to 53-29 this year and finishing fourth in the Western Conference, giving him a combined 103-61 regular season record across two years from a coach who had never sat in the big chair before.
His players have put up the numbers to match.
Luka Doncic averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game during the regular season and led the league in scoring.
LeBron James, 41 years old and in his 22nd season, still averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds across 60 games while continuing to amaze teammates throughout the year and deep into the playoffs.
Why Those Two Traits Fit Redick
People around the organization have seen both qualities in Redick since the day he arrived.
His years in podcasting and broadcasting gave him a natural feel for talking to players and getting ideas to stick, while his obsession with film and strategy fed the curiosity he talked about on Monday.
He never followed the traditional coaching path through years as an assistant, but he never needed to because he walked in with the two things he believes matter most, and two full seasons of results have backed that up.
The Lakers beat the Houston Rockets in six games to reach round two and now face their toughest test against the Thunder.
With Doncic still sidelined by a hamstring injury, Redick will need every bit of what he preaches to keep this run alive.