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[Saba Sports News] JJ Redick is set to begin his first season as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, marking his debut as a basketball coach.
Taking on one of the most high-profile roles in sports, he’ll also be guiding one of the most famous players in the world, LeBron James.
Before accepting the Lakers job, Redick had retired from playing and transitioned into a top analyst role at ESPN, while co-hosting a successful podcast with LeBron.
Many people advised him against taking the Lakers’ head coach position.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, “several people close to Redick told him it would be a bad idea.”
Despite the warnings, Redick chose to test his coaching skills, leaving behind ESPN and the podcast world to take on the challenge.
The Lakers made it to the conference finals two seasons ago but were eliminated in the first round last season, leading to Darvin Ham’s dismissal.
No Lakers head coach has lasted more than three seasons since Phil Jackson’s tenure, but Redick is embracing the pressure to succeed.