JJ Redick Outwitting LA Media on LeBron James Accusations Reminds NBA Insider of Phil Jackson

After more than a month of extensive search by the Los Angeles Lakers, it’s finally official! With a lot to prove, JJ Redick is officially the Head Coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, announced at the press conference yesterday. All through the tough few weeks since firing Darvin Ham, this search was looming large, with many deserving candidates coming in and out of the meeting rooms with Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss. Of course, there were plenty of deals that did not pan out, putting all the more pressure on the Lakers franchise. To top it all, there were plenty of eyebrows being raised over Redick’s credibility, considering he has zero championships and coaching experience.

But was it because LeBron James was guarding him all along on this professional front? Is that why he’s the Head Coach now? Redick denied all such accusations, for obvious reasons. But this did not stop the charade of thoughts and questions ‘The Athletic’ reporter Jovan Buha had posted at the conference. Buha went further in comparing the new head coach with Chicago Bulls legend Phil Jackson on his YouTube channel. 

At first, he was impressed with how meticulously Redick answered all the questions at the conference. He navigated smoothly through all the tough and tricky topics that could have landed a space in the chain of memes on the internet by now. Buha was impressed by how Redick even acknowledged his lack of coaching experience rather humorously, with him open to admitting that he had a lot to learn and will upon getting more settled into his role. The charm showcased by Redick was enough to send him back at least four decades.

“The last coach to have that type of charm and charisma, and gravitas, was Phil Jackson”, said Buha. “I think if you look at the coaches the Lakers have had since then, no one could answer a question and command a room like that”. Buha also admitted that just possessing the ability to win over a room of journalists should not be enough to compare Redick to the coach who, by working alongside the likes of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, was able to secure six championship rings for the Chicago Bulls. The comparison was made just based on how Redick was efficient in reframing questions, not revealing too many details, and just keeping his composure throughout the ordeal, despite dropping an ‘F-Bomb’ in one instance.

Along with being known as the coach who took the Chicago Bulls and the 2000s Los Angeles Lakers to new heights, Phil Jackson’s charisma only added to his elite reputation. Dubbed by the media the ‘Zen Master’, his quirky mannerisms, overall temperament, and keeping his cool are what made him stand out from most of the coaches of the previous decades and even today. Not everyone, however, was the recipient of Jackson’s coolness. According to sportswriter Jeff Pearlman, the late NBA legend Jerry West was not a fan of the coach, stating, “West simply could no longer coexist with Jackson and his profound arrogance” during the duo’s tenure with the Lakers.

JJ Redick maintained his stance when discussing LeBron James

As highlighted by Jovan Buha, JJ Redick kept the room’s command throughout the press conference. Given his close association with LeBron James, he would have prepared to be questioned on the same. Therefore, his confidence did not waiver throughout the Q&A session.

When questioned if LeBron James provided any advice to JJ Redick during the coaching search, the latter replied: “LeBron and I did not talk about the Lakers job until Thursday afternoon, about 30 minutes after I was offered the job. That was very intentional on both our parts”. Redick received a guiding hand from Rob Pelinka as well, who indicated that Anthony Davis was more involved in the HC search process than the All-Time NBA scorer. Given Marc Stein’s report that Anthony Davis was more inclined towards picking James Borrego instead of Redick, this claim may have helped to outwit the media about any LeBron James accusations.

Another thing that Redick needed to be on the lookout for was questions regarding Bronny James, the eldest son of LeBron. With the NBA draft approaching, Bronny is expected to be picked by the Los Angeles Lakers as the 17th overall choice. Looking not to show favoritism, the Lakers HC revealed the plan to fill the “last roster spot” by looking at all “players in the G League, second-round picks, undrafted players, guys on the Summer League roster.”

Before leaving, be sure to check out some insights that Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, shared about the Lakers legend’s infamous feud with the late Kobe Bryant.