New Orleans Pelicans interim coach James Borrego recently opened up about how much the Los Angeles Lakers head coaching job meant to him in 2024. He admitted he’s been a lifelong Lakers fan. Before the Sunday game between the Pelicans and Lakers, Borrego told reporters that applying for the role was a dream come true, even though he lost the job to JJ Redick.
According to Sportskeeda, Borrego said he grew up watching the famous Showtime Lakers era, which featured legends like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. You can understand why the job interview felt so important to him given that history.
“I grew up a Lakers fan, No. 1, so to come here and interview for the job was so surreal and like a dream,” Borrego said. The Lakers needed a new coach after firing Darvin Ham. Borrego was one of the final candidates for the position. Even though he made it to the end, the Lakers chose Redick instead. This must have been hard for a lifelong fan, but Borrego moved on to his current role.
Losing a dream job hasn’t stopped his coaching journey
A year later, Borrego is back with the Pelicans as the interim coach. He returned to New Orleans as an associate head coach, but when the team fired Willie Green earlier this season, Borrego took over. The results haven’t been great so far. Going into Sunday’s game against the Lakers, the Pelicans have a 1-7 record under Borrego.
Despite the tough start, Borrego stays positive. He’s impressed with how hard his players are fighting. Building a winning team requires understanding which coaching strategies work best, something Borrego learned throughout his career. He said that he believes in focusing on the process rather than quick results.
Borrego said a team needs an identity and must know what they believe in. He stressed that the best teams he’s worked with are “process-driven.” Players need to know exactly what shots they’re trying to create, whether those shots go in or not.
“Trust that this is where we need to go, and the results will take care of themselves,” he explained. He wants long-term growth even if they’re not winning right now. Successful coaches know that improving their coaching abilities over time is key to building championship teams. He said, “We are not near where we need to be, but we are getting close.”
Published: Dec 2, 2025 02:30 am