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USA Today via Reuters
Jun 24, 2024; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka look on as head coach JJ Redick speaks to the media during an introductory news conference, as general manager Rob Pelinka listens, at the UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2024-06-24T221750Z_1312916143_MT1USATODAY23614062_RTRMADP_3_NBA-LOA-ANGELES-LAKERS-PRESS-CONFERENCE.jpg?width=600)
USA Today via Reuters
Jun 24, 2024; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka look on as head coach JJ Redick speaks to the media during an introductory news conference, as general manager Rob Pelinka listens, at the UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
The Lakers finally announce the hiring of JJ Redick after a drawn-out search for Darvin Ham‘s successor. After weeks of links with the likes of Sam Cassell, James Borrego, and even NCAA’s Dan Hurley, the Gold and Purple stuck with the 40-year-old. On Monday, the team officially unveiled their new man as he faced the press. There was a buzz among the Lakers fans but Keshawn Johnson wasn’t one of them.
“Is he really the right guy?”, Keshawn raised the query in January about Ham. Fast-forward to June, he is asking the same question again. This time about new Lakers HC, JJ Redick. The former NFL star’s line of questioning is not because he is an analyst on Fox Sports. The reason is that he is a Lakers fan. And just like any other fan, he has concerns over the franchise, the recent of them being the appointment of JJ Redick.
On the latest episode of “Undisputed”, Keyshawn expressed his grievances about the Lakers and the hiring of Redick. He dropped a damning verdict on the former ESPN commentator’s Lakers future. “You wanna win a championship right now. That has, it’s never happened with a guy who has no coaching experience… You got two of the top 10 players in the NBA. Well, you fired a guy that won a championship, and you fired another guy that took you to a Western conference, no matter what the path was that they got there,” Keyshawn told his co-host. He further added, “All I can do is look at the history and the history suggests to me that this is not going to be all roses in the end.”
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"History suggests to me that this is not going to be all roses in the end."@keyshawn on JJ Redick's inexperience as an NBA head coach pic.twitter.com/z9X57tdnbZ
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) June 25, 2024
Highlighting Redick as the 13th HC since 1990 in the NBA with no coaching background, Keyshawn added that this category of coaches only lasts about 2 and a half years in the job. And if Redick faces the same fate, all the blame will go to Pelinka and his lies, at least according to Keyshawn.
Analyst Calls Out Pelinka’s Lies During JJ Redick’s Press Conference
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The Lakers GM mentioned in the press conference innovative ways to implement analytics into the game. He also envisioned a better future with the young core of players in Austin Reaves, Jalen-Hood Schifino, Rui Hachimura, and Max Christie. He talked about focusing on developing the team in a bid to win the championship now. That confirms this group of players is off the trade market. But Keyshawn did not buy the vision provided by Pelinka.
He called out Pelinka’s supposed lies by saying, “I would have liked to have heard him say, well, our goal is to develop JJ to be our coach. Three, four, five, six, seven years from now, because what you’re telling me is you wanna win a championship right now. It’s never happened with a guy who has no coaching experience.”
“I like what Palinka said in this press conference, but I’m not fooled. You’re not gonna fool me,” said the former Super Bowl winner. The gist of Pelinka’s statement was they want to win now with Redick. With the Celtics taking their 18th title, the need to deliver is now more than ever. With JJ breaking down his game plan of maximizing LeBron James and Anthony Davis, there is already optimism for Redick, but don’t count Keyshawn into it.
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Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what brand maker, Leonard Armato, had to say about the deadly duo, Shaq and Kobe, check out this video