The Lakers are off to a flying start in the league under JJ Redick’s coaching. However, the rookie head coach is still not exempt from the accusations that he was hired on the recommendation of his long-time friend and then podcasting partner, LeBron James. Redick denied talking to LeBron about the job before he got it in a press conference.
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But Shaq isn’t buying it. In a resurfaced clip from when the Lakers appointed JJ for the job, Shaquille O’Neal could be seen saying that he is pretty certain that the decision to hire Redick went through LBJ.
He said, “Everything goes through LeBron and I know that for a fact because when you’re in that position as leadership, you get to know everything. I was in that seat for a long time, nothing went without my permission.”
Interestingly, LeBron also distanced himself from that conversation, hinting that he had nothing to do with Redick’s appointment as HC. But Shaq disagrees that the two were not aware of the development, even though he understands the professional reasons why they are denying the claims.
Shaq claimed that he knew Redick would take that job even before the appointment was official. However, what surprised him the most was the Lakers preferring Redick, who doesn’t have any prior coaching experience, over a veteran like Sam Cassell. Details like that are enough for Shaq to believe that behind closed doors, this decision was influenced by LeBron James.
However, the big fella underlined that these murmurs are exactly why Redick will have a tough job earning the respect of his team’s players. The big man pointed out that it’s difficult for most of these guys to respect JJ because they played against him just a few years ago. However, it seems Redick is off to a good start.
JJ Redick’s Lakers had their best start to the season since 2010
Redick is actually doing a commendable job with the Lakers. Although it’s too early to start giving him major shoutouts, it’s undeniable that the Lakers haven’t been this good for over a decade. They won the first three games of the season, making it their best season-opening record since the 2010-11 season.
Their three-game winning streak came to an end in their last game against the Phoenix Suns. They lost 105-109. But fans would hope that the LA side can bounce back in the next one.
Redick needs to help the Lakers win a championship to justify being handed the coaching responsibility. But as of now, winning three out of four games with a better team rotation, getting the best out of most players, having control over the pace of the game, etc makes it look like Redick was the right man for the job.
