JJ Redick has been impressive in his first days as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
It’s never easy to coach the Lakers, as Los Angeles is always under intense media scrutiny. It’s even harder when megastar LeBron James is wearing the purple and gold. Redick is dealing with an all-new level of media circus thanks to the presence of LeBron’s son, Bronny, on the Lakers ‘roster after he was drafted in the second round.
Still, Redick is handling the unique situation like a coach who has had years of practice, rather than one new on the job.
Reddick understands that Bronny can’t just step in and immediately play just because of who his father is.
Reddick was listing which players figured to be a part of the Lakers’ rotation, and who’d be competing to be a part of the rotation, and Bronny didn’t receive a mention. It’s clear Redick wants the younger James to know that he’s going to have to work to earn his role on the team just like everyone else.
Here’s JJ Redick saying he envisions a 9-man rotation and discussing which guys are competing for rotation spots off the bench. He said he forgot someone when running off all the names (Dalton Knecht): pic.twitter.com/4kEqDXruvA
— Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand) October 1, 2024
It makes sense Redick would make Bronny earn his spot. Unlike most players in the NBA, Bronny wasn’t able to show much of what he was capable of on the court during his time in college.
Bronny suffered a cardiac arrest in July and although he was eventually cleared to play, he was limited to 25 games played and 19 minutes a game during his time at USC.
Still, if Bronny is willing to work hard and catch up on his missed development, there’s no doubt he’ll get his opportunity eventually.
