Remember all the criticism when the Lakers hired a guy with zero coaching experience? Remember the hot takes about how JJ Redick was just a podcast host who couldn't possibly succeed as an NBA head coach?
Yeah, I remember too. And I'm here to say: We were wrong. All of us.
JJ Redick's Lakers clinched their second straight 50-win season on Tuesday, making him the first Lakers coach since Phil Jackson to achieve that feat. Let me repeat that - since Phil Jackson. One of the greatest coaches in NBA history.
This is vindication, folks. Pure and simple.
When the Lakers hired Redick before last season, the criticism was immediate and intense. "He's never coached before." "This is a disaster waiting to happen." "The Lakers are a joke organization."
The doubters were loud. The skeptics were many. And they all had a point - Redick didn't have coaching experience. He'd gone straight from playing to podcasting to the sidelines. That's not the traditional path.
But Redick had something more valuable than experience: Basketball IQ. Leadership. The respect of players. A modern understanding of the game. And the ability to communicate and connect.
He proved it in Year 1, guiding the Lakers to 50 wins. That silenced some critics. But there's always the "fluke year" argument. "Let's see him do it again."
Well, he did it again. Fifty wins in back-to-back seasons. And he's now in legitimate Coach of the Year conversation.
The Lakers are 50-26 this season, and they've done it with Luka Doncic playing at an MVP level, LeBron James in Year 24, and a supporting cast that's bought into Redick's system. That's not luck. That's coaching.
Redick has earned every bit of this success. He's managed egos. He's adjusted game plans. He's developed young players. He's made tough decisions. All the things a great coach does.
And he's done it while maintaining his own identity. He hasn't tried to be Phil Jackson or Pat Riley or anyone else. He's been JJ Redick - analytical, communicative, demanding, and modern.
The comparison to Phil Jackson is significant. Jackson coached some of the greatest teams in NBA history - Michael Jordan's Bulls, Kobe Bryant and Shaq's Lakers. He won 11 championships. He's a legend.
No one is saying Redick is Jackson. But to match his accomplishment of consecutive 50-win seasons? That's impressive. That's historic. That's proof that Redick belongs.
The Lakers' success this season isn't just about Luka dropping 40 a night or LeBron defying Father Time. It's about Redick creating a system, a culture, an environment where players can thrive.
He's proven that the traditional coaching ladder - assistant coach for years, maybe get a head job in your 40s or 50s - isn't the only path. Sometimes, the right person with the right skills can succeed immediately.
Is he guaranteed to win a championship? No. The playoffs are different. The pressure intensifies. The competition is ruthless.
But he's given himself - and the Lakers - a chance. And he's earned respect from everyone who doubted him.
I was skeptical when they hired him. I thought it was a risk. But JJ Redick has made me eat my words, and you know what? They taste pretty good.
Because this is what sports is all about - proving people wrong, defying expectations, succeeding when everyone says you'll fail.
JJ Redick has done exactly that.
That's what sports is all about, folks.
