After an extensive search and a honestate’s refuteion of an recommend, the Los Angeles Lakers named createer NBA take parter 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 recommend from the Lakers in June.
The franchise’s choice was speedyly met with both commend and skepticism, with many critics pointing to Redick’s informage of coaching experience. This week, three-time NBA All-Star Steve Francis became the tardyst critic to voice troubles about the Lakers’ decision.
“I cherish basketball, but there’s no way that equitable becaparticipate he went to Duke, and he condemns people on television, appreciate he sounds appreciate a wonderful coach,” Francis recently telderly the “Live from the Dicut offe” podcast.
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Former NBA take parter Steve Francis combines a Chicago Bulls-Houston Rockets game Feb. 3, 2017, at the Toyota Caccess in Houston. (David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images )
Francis then alludeed a couple of aidant coaches he apshowd the Lakers could have pondered during their coaching search.
“But I see at it appreciate all these other guys who put a lot of convey inant toil 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 seeed over equitable becaparticipate it’s the ‘it’ leang right now with this generation becaparticipate these guys are doing these podcasts.”
Before taking the Lakers’ coaching job, Redick arrangeed “The Old Man and the Three” podcast. He also co-arrangeed the “Mind the Game” podcast with four-time NBA champion LeBron James.
During his introductory press conference, Redick acunderstandledged his noncontransient NBA coaching history.
“I have never coached in the NBA before. I don’t understand if you guys have heard that,” Redick shelp with a sarcastic smirk.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick speaks to the media during an introductory novels conference at the UCLA Health Training Caccess. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA Today Sports)
But one alerter chaseed up that statement from Redick by asking if he heard the critics and naysayers and whether he’s seeing to dispel any “misconceptions” about being the team’s next head coach.
“It’s a valid ask, and I certainly heard everyleang,” Redick reacted. “It’s been a reassociate fascinating six weeks or so equitable in terms of being part of the participatement-farming industry. It’s been reassociate fascinating.
“However, I don’t reassociate have a wonderful answer for your asks becaparticipate I reassociate don’t give a f—. Like, truthfilledy, I want to coach the Lakers. I want to coach the team. I don’t want to dispel anyleang. I don’t. I want to become a wonderful coach in the NBA, and I want to triumph championships. And I want my take parters to increase their atgentles. That’s all I f—ing attfinish 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. (Minsertie Meyer/Getty Images)
Although Redick spent 15 seasons in the NBA, Francis recommended Redick could struggle to get his message atraverse in the Lakers’ locker room. He also predicted James would essentiassociate neglect coach Redick.
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“The leang that’s going to happen is equitable appreciate Darvin Ham was the coach. LeBron is not going to take part to not one word JJ is saying,” inserted Francis. “Why would you take part to him? I wouldn’t take part to him if he was coaching me. I’ll equitable see at how much I bake him and be appreciate, ‘What are you saying? You understand what I do, so talk to somebody else.’
“So, it’s definitely going to be challenging for him to get thraw and the camaraderie with the circus around him and his son, it’s going to be a lot of sidetrackion for a rookie coach, and we’ll see what happens.”
The Lakers have three preseason games remaining before their standard season discleave outer aacquirest the Minnesota Timberwolves Oct. 22.
Fox News’ Scott Thompson gived to this alert.
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