After an extensive search and a candidate’s rejection of an offer, the Los Angeles Lakers named former NBA player JJ Redick the franchise’s next head coach in June.
Dan Hurley, who coached the UConn Huskies men’s basketball team to a second consecutive NCAA title in April, turned down an offer from the Lakers in June.
The franchise’s choice was quickly met with both praise and skepticism, with many critics pointing to Redick’s lack of coaching experience. This week, three-time NBA All-Star Steve Francis became the latest critic to voice concerns about the Lakers’ decision.
“I love basketball, but there’s no way that just because he went to Duke, and he criticizes people on television, like he sounds like a great coach,” Francis recently told the “Live from the District” podcast.
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Former NBA player Steve Francis attends a Chicago Bulls-Houston Rockets game Feb. 3, 2017, at the Toyota Center in Houston. (David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images )
Francis then mentioned a couple of assistant coaches he believed the Lakers could have considered during their coaching search.
“But I look at it like all these other guys who put a lot of significant work in. You have my boy David Vanterpool here in Washington. You have Sam Cassell. You have so many guys who have championship experience. All these guys who have experience and get looked over just because it’s the ‘it’ thing right now with this generation because these guys are doing these podcasts.”
Before taking the Lakers’ coaching job, Redick hosted “The Old Man and the Three” podcast. He also co-hosted the “Mind the Game” podcast with four-time NBA champion LeBron James.
During his introductory press conference, Redick acknowledged his nonexistent NBA coaching history.
“I have never coached in the NBA before. I don’t know if you guys have heard that,” Redick said with a sarcastic smirk.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick speaks to the media during an introductory news conference at the UCLA Health Training Center. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA Today Sports)
But one reporter followed up that statement from Redick by asking if he heard the critics and naysayers and whether he’s looking to dispel any “misconceptions” about being the team’s next head coach.
“It’s a valid question, and I certainly heard everything,” Redick responded. “It’s been a really interesting six weeks or so just in terms of being part of the engagement-farming industry. It’s been really interesting.
“However, I don’t really have a great answer for your questions because I really don’t give a f—. Like, honestly, I want to coach the Lakers. I want to coach the team. I don’t want to dispel anything. I don’t. I want to become a great coach in the NBA, and I want to win championships. And I want my players to maximize their careers. That’s all I f—ing care about.”
JJ Redick before Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden June 9, 2024, in Boston. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Although Redick spent 15 seasons in the NBA, Francis suggested Redick could struggle to get his message across in the Lakers’ locker room. He also predicted James would essentially ignore coach Redick.
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“The thing that’s going to happen is just like Darvin Ham was the coach. LeBron is not going to listen to not one word JJ is saying,” added Francis. “Why would you listen to him? I wouldn’t listen to him if he was coaching me. I’ll just look at how much I bake him and be like, ‘What are you saying? You know what I do, so talk to somebody else.’
“So, it’s definitely going to be hard for him to get through and the camaraderie with the circus around him and his son, it’s going to be a lot of distraction for a rookie coach, and we’ll see what happens.”
The Lakers have three preseason games remaining before their regular season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves Oct. 22.
Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
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