Among the many storylines attached to the Lakers’ JJ Redick’s capabilities as a coach has become a polarizing topic. After being an NBA sharpshooter, the former Clippers guard gravitated to the media. He called games and took part in intense debates with some of the renowned on-court personalities. Now, he is the one in the hot seat taking the helm of one of the most prestigious organizations in sports. The job calls for him to take a unique perspective and it is far from convenient.

Magic Johnson spoke about his hire while on the Jimmy Kimmel show. In the past, the Lakers icon wanted Dan Hurley UConn’s thunderous coach to take charge of the Lakers. But with Redick in particular, he acknowledges his tactical genius and his intricate understanding of the art of basketball. But at the same time, being the decision maker is a completely different experience than analyzing various schemes.

“It’s hard to go from where he was to the coach now because remember he was criticizing guys. Now he is got to come coach these guys that are in the NBA, in that locker room,” Johnson said of Redick on the Jimmy Kimmel Show.

As an analyst, Redick earned his stripes for being ruthless. But it was never toward the players. The Duke legend empathized with the players and attempted to break the media’s generality. In doing so, clashes with Stephen A. Smith were regular. However, over the past few years, he has felt the calling of being a coach. He applied for a job with the Raptors and has since also dissected the job through various GMs and coaches in the league.

Johnson too regards his intelligence to a high degree. “He’s smart. He knows the game frontwards and backward. Also analytic wise he is very intelligent too,”. The intriguing matter though is whether can Redick use his basketball wisdom and apply it during high-pressure situations. NBA games require cognitive thinking and quick deductions. “If a team goes on a run, can he make adjustments to stop that run?” Johnson wonders.

NBA coaches saw the spark within JJ Redick

Johnson’s words can’t be completely ignored. He experienced the unforgiving nature of coaching when he tried out the stint with the Lakers for 16 games. The Purple and Gold had a 5-11 record then and he never coached again. But in the past several players have succeeded in doing so. Notably, his eternal rival and great friend Larry Bird took the Indiana Pacers to great heights in his three years as their head coach.

With Redick, he has seen every space of the NBA. He understands the players having been in the locker room, and he also enjoys breaking down film to its fine details. However, that didn’t pin the idea of coaching into him. During the twilight of his career, Rick Carlisle, the former Mavericks coach was the one who saw serious potential in Redick becoming a coach.

That inspiration drove him to consider a career as a coach. In terms of philosophies and his creativity, Rob Pelinka was thoroughly impressed. Furthermore, he has already presented some of his unique ideas, such as having Anthony Davis become a “hub”. It also includes him attempting to bring back AD’s jump-shooting offense which played an instrumental role in the Lakers’ 2020 conquest. “I have a theory around that. And you know what, if my theory proves correct, I’ll share it with you later in the season” he told Zach Lowe.

Does any of this warrant a successful career? No.

But what does is one’s own ambitions. JJ Redick doesn’t run away from his inexperience. He openly addresses the flaw. At the same time though, his passion and strong will are what stand out. Redick doesn’t want the glamour, but he is genuinely invested in becoming a great coach. “I want to win championships. And I want my players to maximize their careers. That’s all I f—ing care about” is the bottom line.

Doubts are going to continue to loom and struggles are a part of every coach’s journey. However, Redick’s vigor to get the job done is the first and objectively the only real metric to evaluate him. It’s not about testing the waters, but JJ Redick is after results. And he is willing to do so by utilizing his expertise as well as those around him.