JJ Redick Admits Coaching Luka Doncic Can Be Frustrating, Have To “Live With” His Creativity

For head coaches, it’s a privilege to have generational talents on their team. But at times, it is the coaches who have to adapt to the star’s style of play, and that’s exactly what JJ Redick is going through with Luka Doncic becoming the main man at the Los Angeles Lakers.

Doncic is on course to become one of the best in NBA history, if he isn’t already considered one that is. But as a coach, Redick often feels helpless trying to control him.

On Monday night, against the Chicago Bulls, Doncic went off, scoring 46 while putting up 25 shots. That’s not a huge figure for a man who thrives with the ball in his hand. But Redick admitted post-game that some of Doncic’s shots were ill-advised.

Doncic’s scoring bursts are invaluable to the Lakers, just as they were to the Mavericks. But for that, he needs creative control. And to get the very best out of the Slovenian, Redick has to give him that.

“You have to be willing to live with the stuff that he tries,” Redick said after the Bulls game. “There’s that creative element that he needs to thrive, and you gotta allow that.”

Players as good as Doncic should never be shackled or forced into roles they’re not comfortable with. It’s not just basketball logic. It’s a sports tenet. Coaches who have tried to change the way a great player plays to suit their own system have, more often than not, failed.

At the same time, this doesn’t mean that Redick has become a secondary act to Doncic. He’s still the boss, and Doncic knows that.

“Him [Doncic] and I are starting to get that good feel when he needs to get off the ball,” Redick said. “He was great off [the] ball, he was a great on [the] ball. He was great [at] post. He had his whole game working tonight.”

It was a great victory for the Lakers, who have now won two games in a row. More of this, and they can start climbing toward the #2 spot in the West again. The vibes in the team also looked good post-match. Doncic, to start with, was more than happy to joke about his 25 shot attempts.

“I think I was just being aggressive, see what the defense give you. I said prolly JJ’s gonna be mad I took 25 shots. He’ll tell me to pass more… I’m kidding,” said Luka. It indeed was a good day to be a Lakers fan.