When the Lakers handed JJ Redick the head coaching job to start the 2024-25 season, plenty of people raised an eyebrow. A guy known more for breaking down games on his podcast than actually coaching? It didn’t exactly scream “championship move.” But guess what? That so-called risky hire is looking like a masterstroke. Instead of struggling under a rookie coach, the Lakers have climbed to the second seed in a brutal Western Conference.

The Lakers are locked in right now, steamrolling through opponents like it’s nothing. Their latest victim? The Clippers. Despite missing key guys like Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and Jordan Goodwin, they still came out on top with a 108-102 win. That’s six straight victories and counting.

So who’s responsible for this turnaround? The 40-year-old podcaster turned coach? Nick Wright, an analyst with Fox, didn’t hold back when discussing JJ Redick’s coaching success with the Lakers, raising a pointed question—if Redick wins Coach of the Year, should LeBron James get a piece of the trophy?

“Is it still LeBron James hired his podcast partner, because if he did, does he get to share the Coach of the Year trophy if JJ wins it? Like, how does it work?” Wright asked, making it clear he wasn’t buying the idea that Redick’s success is entirely independent of LeBron.

He continued, questioning the narrative around LeBron’s influence on team decisions. “I know, like, LeBron traded for Russell Westbrook but made them trade for Anthony Davis, but doesn’t get the two rings for the Anthony Davis move,” Wright said. “But then does he get the Luka credit, because you traded A.D. for Luka? Or is it just the bad moves? He forced out poor Darvin Ham. He forced out poor Frank Vogel.”

Wright’s comments highlight a long-running debate—just how much influence does the 21x All-Star wield over the Lakers’ decision-making, and should he get credit when those decisions pay off?

Speaking of credit, Redick didn’t get any from the NBA—even after such a great month for the Lakers. The NBA has recognized Oklahoma City Thunder’s Mark Daigneault and Detroit Pistons’ J.B. Bickerstaff as the best coaches in their respective conferences for the month of February.

The snub was all-too glaring. Los Angeles finally beat the Nuggets, who have been sending them home since the last two seasons, and now six consecutive wins?

But JJ isn’t resting just yet.

2nd in the West isn’t good enough for JJ Redick

The Lakers are rolling, stretching their win streak to six with a 108-102 victory over the Clippers. And they’re doing it in style. Luka Doncic? Unstoppable. He dropped 29 points, grabbed six boards, and dished out nine assists, proving once again why Kevin Garnett was spot on about his impact alongside LeBron.

Speaking of the 4x MVP, even on an off night, he stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, five rebounds, and nine assists. Let’s be real—he’s loving every bit of Luka’s dominance.

But JJ Redick? He’s not letting anyone get comfortable. “We play hard, we compete. Tonight wasn’t perfect with our execution stuff, but we more than made up for it with our effort at times… The turnovers, once again, hurt us,” he said postgame.

The Lakers handed the Clippers 20 points off turnovers—something Redick refuses to overlook. “These are playoff-like games, just in terms of the physicality and effort from both teams.”

That mindset explains why the Lakers have transformed since mid-January. They’ve gone 18-4, boasting the NBA’s best defense and top record in that span. Not bad for a team that started the year hovering around the play-in.

Hiring Redick was a risk—zero coaching experience, straight from a podcast mic—but at this point, it looks like one of the Lakers’ smartest bets yet.