JJ Redick, new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, has drawn comparisons with Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat.
Earlier this week, the Los Angeles Lakers finalized their decision to replace Darvin Ham after parting ways with him following two seasons at the helm.
Despite a drawn-out saga involving UConn’s Dan Hurley and numerous rumors about potential successors, the Lakers chose the frontrunner from the start: JJ Redick. The former player and ESPN analyst will now lead the team from the sidelines.
In the past two months, various reports have surfaced about why the Lakers are intrigued by Redick. Many were puzzled as to why such a storied franchise would take a risk on a first-time head coach with no prior coaching experience at any level.
JJ Redick has drawn comparisons to Pat Riley, with some believing he could achieve similar success to the Lakers legend. More recently, he’s being likened to Miami Heat’s longtime head coach Erik Spoelstra, setting high expectations for Redick, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic via NBA Central.
“The 39-year-old Redick checks many of the boxes on the Lakers’ extensive checklist for their next coach. He’s drawn internal comparisons to a young Pat Riley as a coaching prospect who jumped from playing to the broadcast booth to the coaching chair. Los Angeles is confident he can be their version of Erik Spoelstra or Steve Kerr – a culture-setter who can grow with the franchise for over a decade.”
However, even if Redick excels in his new role, these lofty comparisons might set him up for failure. Only time will reveal if Redick has the makings of a successful NBA head coach, particularly with such a prestigious franchise. This choice by the Lakers could turn out to be a gamble they might regret.