JJ Redick acknowledges he felt like playing coach with Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick acknowledges that he spent the early portion of his tenure on the bench “playing coach” and pretending to inhabit the role. Appointed in the summer of 2024 as a freshly retired former player with zero prior coaching experience, Redick took over one of the most heavily scrutinized jobs in the NBA without having ever coached.

Two Winning Seasons Precede a Shift in Comfort

Despite his initial lack of experience, Redick guided the Lakers to two seasons with more than 50 victories. Yet, the transition from elite outside shooter to sideline tactician required a significant mental adjustment. “At the beginning of my coaching career, I was kind of doing cosplay—like embodying a character by adopting their appearance and codes. As if I was pretending to be a coach,” Redick admitted.

Those first two campaigns brought immense turbulence. During his debut year, a midseason trade involving Luka Doncic stunned the league. In his second season, persistent injuries to key starters tested the depth of the rotation, though Redick still steered the club to the second round of the postseason. Entering his third year at the helm of a heavily retooled roster, Redick says repetition has finally brought a sense of natural authority.

Repetition Breeds Ease on the Floor

Reflecting on his evolution, Redick indicated that confidence was never the missing ingredient, but rather the operational fluency required to manage. “I think with repetitions, you gain ease,” Redick explained. “I don’t think confidence was ever lacking. And then, you simply know what you want. You’ve worked hard enough on things and built plans throughout the summer and preseason… I just feel more comfortable with everything, whether it’s teaching on the floor, managing, or handling relationships.”

That newfound comfort also stems from a blunt internal critique. Following a conversation with his former coach at Duke, Mike Krzyzewski, Redick realized he needed to curb the fiery demeanor that defined his playing days. While internal anger and competitive edge served him well as a player, he discovered that those same traits could prove detrimental behind the clipboard.

Contrasting Playing Fire With Coaching Calm

The stark difference between his past mindset on the hardwood and his current responsibilities on the sideline became a central theme of his early development. “Some of the things that helped me as a player are brakes for me as a coach,” Redick concluded. “When I played, it was with anger. There was an inner anger that fueled my competitive spirit. That’s not always a good thing for a coach. I felt that calm was preferable.”

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