In only his second professional season as a head coach, JJ Redick opened up about the biggest challenge he faces, and it has nothing to do with the opponents or his team’s talent. Redick explained that the hardest part is getting his players, including superstars like LeBron James and Luka Dončić, to ignore the “outside noise.”
The Los Angeles Lakers coach pointed specifically to the massive impact of social media. He noted that players, even the biggest stars, read “every single good and bad thing about them” posted online after games.
Redick stated that this constant stream of online opinions makes it incredibly difficult to keep players emotionally balanced. They can feel bad if they play poorly or overly good if they play well, all based on what strangers say on social media, making consistent emotional neutrality a huge challenge.
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“They’ll feel ‘bad’ if they play poorly and ‘good’ if they play well because of what people will say about them. So getting guys to feel neutral, with consistency every single day has just become incredibly difficult in our league.”
Redick’s Team Is Coming Off A 2-1 Game Run
Following a stretch of games, JJ Redick’s Lakers team has found some success, finishing a recent road trip with a 2-1 record. This successful run was a key indicator of the team’s ability to compete despite the internal and external pressures of the NBA season.
After their road success, the team, featuring star Luka Dončić, returned home for a short homestand. This home game was a quarter-finals match for the NBA Emirates Cup, where they were scheduled to host the San Antonio Spurs.
The recent 2-1 performance on the road and a win over the Spurs would mean the team completed a 3-1 run. Redick expected his top players, especially LeBron James, to maintain their strong effort to help secure a place in the tournament’s semi-finals.
Redick Lauded James For His Efforts Recently
The coach had a specific reason to praise LeBron James following a recent game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Just days before, James’ remarkable streak of 1,297 consecutive games with at least 10 points had ended against the Toronto Raptors.
However, in the very next game, James had a major bounce-back performance, scoring a season-high 29 points, along with seven rebounds and six assists, to lead the Lakers to a victory. Redick was very impressed with this immediate response.
Redick emphasized that while James doesn’t “need confidence,” it was important to be reminded of what he is capable of, especially after dealing with injuries and trying to catch up with a team that was already in a good rhythm. The coach felt that James’ strong performance was “super important” for the team’s morale
Published: Dec 10, 2025 01:44 pm