UConn Huskies Head Coach Dan Hurley rejected the Los Angeles Lakers’ head coaching offer a few weeks ago. Soon after, JJ Redick, who had been dubbed as one of the frontrunners for the role for a long time, was appointed for the job. However, Redick made it clear that he wasn’t offended that the franchise chose Hurley as their first option.
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During his introductory press conference as the Lakers Head Coach, the 40-year-old revealed that he didn’t mind the Lakers’ pursuit of Dan Hurley in the funniest way possible. He made it clear that he completely understood why the LA side’s first choice was the Huskies’ HC, whose impressive resume aligned with the franchise’s expectations.
Joking about his lack of coaching experience, Redick said during the post-game presser,
“At no point was my ego or feelings hurt or bruised in any way. Dan Hurley is a two-time national champion at UConn. I am a two-time 55 Swish League Champion in the 3rd and 4th grade divisions. Like I understood.”
"Dan Hurley is a two-time national champion at UConn. I am a two-time 55 Swish League Champion in the 3rd and 4th grade division. I understood."
— JJ Redick on the Lakers' former interest in Dan Hurley pic.twitter.com/FwM5vPJPYI
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) June 24, 2024
Then, the Lakers HC turned his attention to the 2023 offseason, when he interviewed for the Toronto Raptors’ coaching job. Therefore, Redick admitted that landing an NBA Head Coaching job was a dream for him since he retired in 2021.
Apart from that, the former ESPN analyst also touched upon using his official pod to prepare for the job. By conducting interviews with numerous athletes and coaches, he astutely used his platform to know the NBA landscape better. Thanks to his hard work, just three years after retiring, he was able to land a dream job.
JJ Redick is hyped to coach LeBron James and Anthony Davis
During the introductory conference, JJ Redick showcased his excitement to lead a team that houses the electric duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Since he just recently called the NBA Finals, he had already registered rare accomplishments. But the Lakers’ job tops everything for him.
“This job was about the Lakers and it was about LeBron James and Anthony Davis, two of the greatest players ever… I’ve got to do some amazing stuff in my life, this might be the best.”
Apart from that, during an appearance on ESPN Los Angeles Radio, the former Clippers guard raved about having one of the best defensive players in AD. Since he has one of the perennial Defensive Player of the Year finalists with him, the new Lakers HC expects his team to be among at least the top-ten defensive teams in the league.
