Melissa Rohlin
FOX Sports NBA Writer
JJ Redick usually thinks of a quote from an HBO miniseries about World War II that aired in 2001.
“There’s a scene in ‘Band of Brothers’ the place they’re within the trenches and one of many troopers, who’s actually scared, asks the opposite man, ‘How do you exit and struggle? You do not look scared,'” he recalled Redick. “And he says, ‘It’s as a result of I’m already useless.’”
Redick adopted this philosophy when he took over the Lakers in June with none teaching expertise. It was a protection mechanism from the tough actuality that the teaching job within the NBA has turn into a lightning rod for blame and a revolving door.
“When I took this job, I used to be already useless,” he mentioned. “So I do know this occupation properly, nevertheless it’s not even on my radar. I’m already useless.”
During LeBron James’ seven seasons with the Lakers, coaches Frank Vogel and Darvin Ham had been each employed and fired. Vogel led the Lakers to their first championship in 10 years in 2020 and was fired in 2022; Ham helped the Lakers attain the Conference Finals in 2023 and was fired in May.
Redick got here into this case along with his eyes extensive open.
So far this season, the Lakers have had some wild swings. After successful his first three video games, adopted by a six-game successful streak in November, Redick has been broadly praised because the antidote to the Lakers’ woes in latest seasons.
Then they went via a stretch the place they misplaced eight of 11 video games, falling to tenth place within the West from late November to early December. Now they’re again on the upswing and are at present in fourth place after successful eight of the final 11 races.
When they had been dropping, former NBA participant Gilbert Arenas identified the irony of Ham being the scapegoat for the Lakers’ issues whereas Redick by some means remained unscathed.
“Hey, inform Ham to return again, man,” Arenas joked on his podcast, “Gil’s Arena.” “…We want somebody responsible. I simply wish to say, ‘It’s the coach. It’s the coach’s fault.'”
Heck, even within the midst of their present successful streak, TNT analyst Charles Barkley interrupted highlights of the Boston Celtics’ 118-115 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday to assault Redick on an episode of “Inside the NBA” .
“You’re only a useless man strolling,” Barkley mentioned. “They removed Frank Vogel, who did a superb job. They removed Darvin Ham, who did a superb job. But you went on the market considering you had been going to show issues round with that very same ugly woman you dated The Lakers stink.
“He bought there considering, ‘I could make this factor work.’ Damn, you’ll be able to! You could make up that pig! The Lakers stink, man.
Barkley’s outburst was fueled by feedback Redick made final month when requested his ideas on declining TV scores and whether or not he thinks 3-point capturing contributes to it.
In his lengthy and detailed response, Redick mentioned he did not suppose the “nationwide companions” did a superb job “celebrating the sport,” one thing Barkley clearly took personally despite the fact that it wasn’t talked about straight.
As for Redick, he mentioned he was shocked by Barkley’s phrases.
“I could not get via the entire clip, I’ve to be sincere with you,” Redick mentioned Friday earlier than the Lakers hosted the Atlanta Hawks. “My resting coronary heart price might be 64. I watched the video, it was 64. I actually do not care. I’ve different ideas. But I do not care.”
(RELATED: LeBron James says the NBA has larger issues than the All-Star Game)
But being in a so-called feud with Barkley is rarely a superb factor for somebody who holds one of many 30 most precarious positions within the NBA.
Six coaches had been fired in 2023, together with Doc Rivers, Monty Williams, Nick Nurse, Mike Budenholzer, Steven Silas and Dwane Casey. Just final week, the Sacramento Kings shocked the NBA world by firing 2023 unanimous Coach of the Year Mike Brown.
Of course, outdoors opinions like Barkley’s do not maintain up by way of Redick’s job safety. But as soon as once more, the nationwide debate resonates, and Barkley’s voice definitely carries plenty of weight.
Barkley added that he now has his sights set on Redick.
“JJ, in the event you come for the king, you higher not miss it,” Barkley mentioned. “Because I can get you, bro. Remember, I bought your Lakers video games.”
Through all of it, Redick tried to disregard the noise.
Redick opened the season to unanimous amazement. He was such an unknown. We knew he was a three-point specialist watching him play. And we knew he was a basketball skilled from listening to him speak concerning the sport as an analyst for ESPN. But a rookie teaching one of many league’s largest franchises?
It would have gone rather well. Or very unhealthy.
James and Davis opened the season singing his praises, praising him for being so ready and his imaginative and prescient so properly expressed.
And it appears they nonetheless really feel that approach.
After Redick challenged Davis “to win MVP,” he responded by being on the high of the dialog early within the season. And on Friday, when requested concerning the Lakers’ offensive enchancment, James attributed it to preparation, which, it seems, was a tip of the hat to Redick. “We all know the place we must be,” James mentioned.
But Redick is aware of that the season is lengthy and that tougher stretches will come.
The excellent news for Redick, which may assist him stay impervious to outdoors noise, is that he seems to be his personal largest critic.
While he mentioned his resting coronary heart price remained unchanged whereas watching Barkley’s outburst, it is clear that is not the case when the Lakers are dropping. It’s extremely animated throughout video games. And crushed when issues do not go as deliberate.
He additionally admitted that after video games he actually goes to a darkish place (his basement) and pours over movie.
So even when Arenas factors out what he noticed as a double normal and Barkley fully depends on Redick it may show that Redick’s days because the bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, clipboard-wielding golden youngster of the league could also be at an finish, apparently he is keen to place up with the warmth.
“I signed up for the arduous stuff,” he mentioned. “I did not join the straightforward stuff. I like fixing issues.”
This a lot is obvious: there are a lot of eyes on him. It’s in Los Angeles. His grace interval is coming to an finish.
Luckily for him, now the Lakers shine.
But if issues change, his detractors will come for him, whether or not he performs useless or not.
Melissa Rohlin is an NBA author for FOX Sports. He beforehand lined the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the Saint Anthony Express News. Follow her on Twitter @by Melissarohl.
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