JJ Redick opened up about a litany of topics, including the Lakers nearly hiring UConn’s Dan Hurley, during his introductory press conference as coach on Monday.
Redick discussed his communication with the Lakers brass during the team’s process of offering Hurley the position and used a bit of humor to convey his feelings while watching the Lakers pursue the two-time national champion.
“Rob [Pelinka] was quick to call me. Had a great conversation,” Redick said. “During that whole four-day period, at no point was my ego or feelings hurt or bruised in any way.”
On June 10, Hurley rejected the Lakers’ offer of six years, $70 million to be the team’s next head coach after firing Darvin Ham.
The 40-year-old Redick was effusive in praising the first-choice Hurley, even joking about his own relative lack of coaching experience.
“Dan Hurley is a two-time national champion at UConn. I am a two-time 55 League Swish League champion in the third- and fourth-grade division,” Redick said. “I understood.”
The Athletic’s Shams Charania first reported the Lakers’ interest in Redick on June 4, with the team ultimately pinpointing him for the role on June 20 after interviewing the weekend prior.
Despite never having been a college or pro assistant coach, let alone a head coach, Redick — who had just finished calling his first NBA Finals with ESPN — cited his own experiences during his 15-year NBA career as proof that he deserved his new role.
The former sharpshooter noted that his goal of being an NBA head coach crystallized after interviewing with the Toronto Raptors last offseason.
“I just felt like this is what I’m supposed to be doing,” Redick said.
Redick also mentioned a “circle” of coaches and executives with whom he regularly consulted in order to get an inside perspective about desired traits for coaches.
Among other topics covered during his first foray with the L.A. media, Redick noted he will discontinue his schematically focused “Mind the Game” podcast with LeBron James, whom he now coaches.
Notably, Redick said that he and James did not explicitly talk about his coaching candidacy, calling it “very intentional on both our parts.”