Some Los Angeles Lakers fans are skeptical about new head coach JJ Redick, mainly because he lacks experience as either a head coach or assistant coach at the NBA and college levels. But there are others who see lots of potential in him, as he appears to have strong tactical and communication skills.
One man who doesn’t seem concerned about Redick’s lack of coaching experience is Turner Sports basketball analyst Kenny Smith. The two-time NBA champion appeared on “Scoop B Radio” with host Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, and he said Redick’s experience as an NBA player may be enough for him to succeed in his new role (at 2:22).
“He could play 12 years and they could still say that doesn’t count as ‘experience’. He’s been in multiple practices. He’s been in multiple places. He understands the dynamics of the game. Can you lead? That’s the difference between only being able to coach. So no, I’m not one of those that say that he doesn’t have the experience because he’s played in the NBA for 12 years. If I worked at IBM for 12 years and I quit, they’re going to make me a Senior Advisor for every company in the world! So, he has the knowledge but does he have the leadership qualities to lead a guy like LeBron James and AD (Anthony Davis). That’s going to be his biggest challenge.”
Redick played 15 seasons in the league and was an outstanding 3-point shooter. Before that, he spent four seasons at Duke University under legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski.
The Lakers reportedly leaned on Krzyzewski for advice during their coaching search, so perhaps he gave them a vote of approval when it came to Redick’s leadership skills and ability to get his new players to trust, respect and follow him.