Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick, now in his second season leading the team, addressed the constant media attention that surrounds the franchise. Redick noted that while he experienced significant coverage during his playing days with teams like the L.A. Clippers, coaching the Lakers is a different experience due to the intense scrutiny.
A recent incident involving an on-court exchange between Redick and star player Luka Doncic became a widely discussed topic in sports media. Redick clarified that there was no real issue between him and Doncic, emphasizing how such moments can quickly become amplified when associated with the Lakers.
“It just feels normal, which is probably part of the reason I wanted to coach the Lakers,” Redick said before a win over the New Orleans Pelicans. “I was talking with Luka about it, we were actually laughing about it. I was like, ‘I didn’t feel any tension,’ and he was like, ‘Nah, I didn’t care about it.’ You do it and you move on.
“But I think the reality is, everybody is always gonna have an opinion. Since pro spots have existed, everybody has always had an opinion. Sports talk, barber shops, chat rooms, everybody’s had an opinion. Now, everybody’s opinion is more easily accessible. So it’s more amplified now. But it’s normal.”
Redick compared his experiences across different NBA franchises and explained that this level of attention is unique to certain teams and players.
“It’s definitely special to the Lakers, and other teams, and other players, to be honest with you. We have LeBron James on our team, who is probably the most scrutinized, or one of the most scrutinized athletes of all time. When I made that comment, it was more just referencing my own personal psychosis,” he said.
“It’s why I wanted to play at Duke, it’s why when I was a free agent after a year of rebuilding in Orlando and then a first-round exit in Milwaukee, I said to Doc Rivers I want to come here because I want to play for something, I want it to matter, I want to be part of something that means something. That’s what I meant by that.”
Addressing questions about handling public scrutiny following tense moments during games or seasons—such as his interaction with Doncic—Redick reflected on growth through adversity.
“I don’t know. I think the reality is each player is gonna go through moments throughout a season, and each team is gonna go through moments within a season. And you’re gonna fail and have bad moments. I’ve had bad moments as a coach. I think of like my response last year before Game 5. That was a bad moment for me. I failed at that. That’s a learning opportunity. That’s a growth opportunity.
“And I don’t think our players should be afraid to fail. And that’s emotional failure too. I think as a coach we got to probably be a little bit better than our players. But it’s OK to fail emotionally in a moment because you learn from that. I’ve known Luka now about six years; our relationship is strong—it’s only gonna get stronger.”
Following their comeback victory against New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night—a performance reminiscent of their early-season form—Redick expressed satisfaction with how his team played under pressure situations late in games this season.
The Los Angeles Lakers remain one of basketball’s most talked-about franchises—a dynamic Redick acknowledges but also embraces as part of his role leading one of sport’s highest-profile teams.
