Lakers to hire JJ Redick as next coach

The Los Angeles Lakers have reached an agreement to make JJ Redick their next head coach, ESPN and other outlets reported Thursday.

ESPN reported that Redick was offered a four-year contract on Thursday morning. The financial terms were not yet known.

Redick, 39, spent 15 seasons in the NBA but has no coaching experience.

That didn't matter to the Lakers, who reportedly made Redick their top target after UConn coach Dan Hurley turned down a six-year, $70 million contract to leave college basketball -- where he is a two-time national champion -- for Hollywood.

Redick will leave ESPN, where he has worked as an NBA television analyst and was recently on the lead broadcast team.

"Congrats to my man @jj_redick," ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "Anyone who knows anything about you knows that you have that coaching itch. Wishing you nothing but the best."

Redick also co-hosts a basketball podcast with Lakers star LeBron James, which debuted last March. James is set to become a free agent at the start of the new league year, but he can exercise a $51.4 million player option to stay in Los Angeles.

ESPN reported that Redick is putting together a coaching staff that will surround him with experienced voices.

He replaces Darvin Ham, who was fired by the Lakers after two seasons, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2023. Ham had a 90-74 record but went 9-12 in the playoffs since replacing Frank Vogel in 2022.

In 14 NBA seasons with Orlando, Milwaukee, the Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia, New Orleans, and Dallas, Redick averaged 12.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.

He remains Duke's all-time scoring leader, with 2,769 points in four seasons under coach Mike Krzyzewski. Redick was the 2006 National College Player of the Year.

SportsLigue