In the wake of the Boston Celtics clinching a record-setting 18th NBA title, their archrivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, have agreed to a four-year deal with JJ Reddick as their new head coach.
Reddick, a former NBA player and a current analyst for ESPN, played 15 years in the league for six different teams: the Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 7ers, New Orleans Pelicans, and the Dallas Mavericks.
The 39-year-old, who has never coached in the NBA, reportedly met with the Lakers hierarchy on Thursday morning before being offered the job by Rob Pelinka, the team’s vice president of basketball operations and general manager.
ESPN Sources: JJ Redick has agreed on a four-year contract to become the next coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Rob Pelinka offered job this morning and Redick’s started working on a staff to surround himself with experience. pic.twitter.com/G66eVFRALp
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 20, 2024
Reddick, who conducts a podcast with Lakers star and NBA All-time leading scorer LeBron James titled ‘Mind the Game’, will replace Darvin Ham, who was fired shortly after the 17-time champions were gentlemanly swept by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.
He was selected with the 11th overall pick by the Magic in the 2006 NBA Draft and retired in 2021 with the Mavericks. He finished his 15-year NBA career with a total of 12,028 points, 1,903 rebounds, 1,862 assists, and 1,950 three-pointers.
Reddick has his work cut out for him in one of the NBA’s most storied franchises, as the Lakers will be looking to get back to the top as soon as possible after finishing the 2023–24 regular season with a 47–35 record and needing the Play-In Tournament to make the playoffs.
