Lakers' JJ Redick does have coaching experience
06/21/2024 02:28 PM
For all those taking cheap shots about new Lakers coach JJ Redick’s lack of coaching experience, think again. Because although he hasn’t coached at the high school, college or pro levels, he has ample head coaching experience in one of the most aggravating, stressful, hair-splitting leagues imaginable — youth sports.
Anyone who has had to try to tell 8 and 9 year olds where to stand for a zone defense, or why you shouldn't shoot it when you have four defenders on you while the rest of the team is wide open, knows that JJ must have at least picked up the valuable coaching skill of patience as a youth basketball coach for his kids.
I’m being facetious of course but at the same time, with some of the personalities involved with this Lakers crew, perhaps Redick is decently prepared for the task at hand.
When I coached my son’s best friend one season, I had to explain why he couldn’t get more playing time than anyone else just because he’s always over at our house for play dates. Similarly, JJ Redick may have to explain to LeBron James that even though they’re besties and love podcasting together, that doesn’t mean he can put their friendship ahead of what’s best for the team.
Another season, when I unluckily landed a team of tiny kindergarteners with only one first grader over 4 feet, I had to explain to him why we couldn’t just pass the ball down low to him every single possession even though he’s tall. Similarly, Redick will have to explain to Anthony Davis why the Lakers can’t just — actually, scratch that, they should just get it to AD in the post all game. And I should have gotten it to my first grader more (no wonder we didn’t win any games that season!)
The point is, JJ Redick was a risky hire. The lack of professional coaching experience up to this point is concerning. But it sounds like he takes his role as head coach of his kids’ teams pretty seriously (and has even admitted on his podcast to being kicked out of a game before).
Obviously not all of the skills he teaches will translate to his NBA coaching debut with the Lakers (such as, what to do when Aiden T. confuses his Costco water bottle with Aiden G.'s). But rest assured that if LeBron needs to leave the court in the middle of the fourth quarter to have his mom tie his shoe, JJ Redick will know exactly how to handle it.
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