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Lakers' JJ Redick Sends Direct Message to NBA Ahead of Playoffs

Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick has a wild message for the rest of the league prior to the playoffs.
Alex Kirschenbaum|
Apr 9, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Apr 9, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

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Los Angeles Lakers

First-year Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick looks like a keeper so far.

Team vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka canned former head coach Darvin Ham after just two seasons in power, including a 2023 run to the Western Conference.

Redick lucked into stewarding L.A.'s run with its latest generational superstar, 26-year-old All-NBA First Team guard Luka Doncic, when he was flipped to the Lakers in a stunning blockbuster deal.

But even before that, it appeared Redick had made major revisions to Los Angeles' approach, with an emphasis on two-way play that saw the Lakers' defense emerge as one of the league's best prior to the Doncic deal.

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Now, the No. 3-seeded Lakers (50-32) are slated to play the No. 6-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33) in the first round.

As Redick gears up for his first-ever playoff stint in his new role, he revealed that L.A.'s best player, Doncic, is supremely confident in his abilities on offense, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“He thinks there's not a person in the world who can guard him,” Redick said of the 6-foot-6 guard.

Redick has been looking to foster a sense of community among the Lakers, who are led by an immortal All-Star in 40-year-old power forward LeBron James, who's just six months Redick's junior.

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To wit, Redick oversaw a Lakers team watch party of the Golden State Warriors' 121-116 play-in tournament game victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.

Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves revealed that Redick took the opportunity to galvanize his players during the watch party.

"JJ turned into a motivational speaker and it was fun," Reaves said. "I asked him how many times he rehearsed it, he said, 'Zero, speaking from the heart.' It was good. It's just obviously always fun when you can get together as a group and have time to kind of kick back, relax, and just hang out as friends and family and just have a good time."

Doncic did prove incredibly tough to guard last year, as he led his Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals while averaging 28.9 points on .446/.322/.765 shooting splits, 9.5 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.9 steals a night.

More Los Angeles Lakers: 

Pau Gasol Sent Special Message to Lakers' Luka Doncic After Epic Return to Dallas

Western Conference Executive Compares Lakers' Austin Reaves to Undrafted Hall of Famer

Los Angeles Insider Walks Back Criticism of Bronny James with Honest Admission

Lakers Linked to $100 Million Blazers Star as Summer Trade Target

For the latest Los Angeles Lakers news and notes, stay glued to Los Angeles Lakers On SI.

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Alex Kirschenbaum
ALEX KIRSCHENBAUM

Currently also a scribe for Newsweek, Hoops Rumors, The Sporting News and "Gremlins" director Joe Dante's film site Trailers From Hell, Alex is an alum of Men's Journal, Grizzlies fan site Grizzly Bear Blues, and Bulls fan sites Blog-A-Bull and Pippen Ain't Easy, among others.

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