The Los Angeles Lakers may have found a gem. Alongside their new roster additions, a new face is stealing the spotlight. It’s not a rookie player, but their rookie coach, JJ Redick. At 40, Redick brings fresh perspectives to the Purple and Gold. The team owner and GM have hailed him as the “perfect guy” for the job. And so far, JJ Redick is living up to the hype.

Redick entered the NBA as a rookie nearly two decades ago after being selected by the Orlando Magic. He played for several teams, including the Dallas Mavericks, before retiring in 2021. So, he’s had his fair share of NBA experience. Therefore, from a player’s perspective, the ex-Duke icon can give endless input. And well, at the end of the three-day training camp, the LA Lakers players are not only happy with their new coach but also optimistic about their championship dreams.

According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, “JJ Redick’s approval rating with his players is through the roof.” We somewhat saw this coming after the media day, where Redick exuded limitless confidence. He quite boldly claimed that he’d gladly fall on a sword for the team. To put it simply, he is willing to go all-out for Rob Pelinka’s team. JJ Redick is simply collecting praise from his boys, all thanks to his new gameplay strategies. Jovan Buha added, “We knew this after the first practice, but it just continued. Every player has had incredibly high praise for JJ.” However, the Lakers point guard, D’Angelo Russell, might be more impressed than others.

D’Angelo Russell has reportedly sent a “Thank You” text message to JJ Redick. You may wonder why the 28-year-old went to such an extent. Well, the Lakers installed two ATOs on Thursday, which seemed to have been one of Redick’s demands. And they had “a two out of three success rate in terms of executing them,” informed Buha. Moreover, Russell expressed his gratitude to JJ Redick for coming up with creative ATO sets. Meanwhile, the basketball IQ that the HC has flexed during the camp has impressed D’Lo largely.

So it looks like the LA Lakers had an unprecedented training camp experience with JJ Redick. He has brought a fresh outlook; the team had been searching for a long time. Thus, rekindling the 18th title hope in the hearts of the players, staff, and fans, HC JJ Redick is rightfully claiming the hype around him.

JJ Redick defends his players, responding to reporter’s a question about Rui Hachimura

Rui Hachimura came off a complete 82-game season with the Lakers in the 2023-24 season. He averaged 13.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. This record is similar to the one he had set in his final year at the Washington Wizards. Recently, there has been a demand that the Lakers must have a third star to support LeBron James and Anthony Davis. And it looks like, the Japanese power forward is the most suitable candidate. During the media day conversations, HC JJ Redick was questioned about Hachimura’s Olympic stint with Japan and what lies ahead for him at the Lakers.

Can the Japanese star take the ‘next step’ for the team? Is Rui Hachimura ready for the greater responsibilities? Well, these doubtful words did not sit well with the 40-year-old Redick. He is not willing to doubt his players’ ability- well, not just yet. So he questioned back, “What’s the next step?” To this, the reporter said that the coach knows what he’s referring to. And that’s when JJ Redick retorted, saying: “You tell me, you’re creating the narrative. You tell me. What is the next step? I don’t care about what the next step for Rui is, I care about how he impacts winning on our team.”

Surely Rui Hachimura is one of the key players for the Lakers this season. At the same time, the 26YO has to step up his game and JJ Redick knows his player is capable of doing so. Therefore, he is leaving no room for doubts and concerns. With that said, the Purple and Gold are ready to hit the preseason parquet floor on October 5, against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The test shall now begin for JJ Redick and his boys.

Can they send shockwaves in the NBA crowd this time? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.