“I Was Cosplaying…Pretending”: JJ Redick Admits to Mistakes in Lakers Coaching Career

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick admitted to mistakes in his early coaching career during training camp. Redick disclosed that he was initially "cosplaying" as a coach, essentially pretending to be one. Speaking during the Lakers' training camp, Redick reflected on his first two seasons and how much more comfortable he feels entering his third season.

He explained that experience has boosted his confidence and allowed him to know what he wants and build plans. Looking back at his playing career with his performance coach and former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, Redick revealed that some of the things that helped him as a player were hindrances as a coach. He noted that playing with anger was not always a good thing as a coach, and he now believes calm is better.

Redick's philosophy shift could significantly impact the Lakers for the upcoming season. When he arrived in Los Angeles without prior NBA coaching experience, he inherited immense pressure from coaching LeBron James and a roster built to win immediately. This season, with LeBron James gone and Luka Doncic at the forefront, the team has reshaped its roster around Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler, adding size, athleticism, and defensive versatility.

Redick believes this current roster is the first in his tenure that fits together better. Despite the pressure, Redick has more freedom to establish his coaching standards and focus on building consistent habits. The biggest adjustment for Redick may be internal as he aims to coach as himself, rather than imitating what he thinks an NBA coach should look like.