The Los Angeles Lakers have caught the NBA’s attention in more ways than one—from a first-year head coach that’s put his team in playoff positioning to a blockbuster trade furthering championship aspirations. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith commended the Lakers after they snapped the Denver Nuggets’ nine-game win streak over the weekend, including a striking statement about their leading man, JJ Redick.
Stephen A. Smith Issues Bold Claim About Lakers Coach JJ Redick
Stephen A: Redick is a COTY Candidate
During “NBA Countdown” ahead of the Cavaliers-Grizzlies game Sunday, ESPN’s Malika Andrews brought up the Lakers in a discussion of championship odds, citing Luka Doncic’s belief that LA is a championship-caliber team. When she asked Smith whether he agrees with Doncic’s sentiment, he pushed back on those claims but apologized for not being familiar with the Lakers’ game, adding, “I did not see them being capable of [beating the Nuggets].”
After heaping praise on the Lakers for their recent improvements on both sides of the ball, including saying LeBron James is “40 going on 30,” Smith proclaimed: “JJ Redick is a candidate for Coach of the Year.”
“He is doing a hell of a job,” he added. “And Big Perk [Kendrick Perkins] enlightened me about how brilliant they are offensively compared to what they were last year. Defensively, not so much, but that wasn’t the case [Saturday] night. If that Los Angeles Lakers team shows up in the postseason, look the hell out, and I’m not going to be mad about having to be in Southern California.”
"If that Los Angeles Lakers team shows up in the postseason, look the hell out."@stephenasmith thinks JJ Redick is a candidate for Coach of the Year 👀🏆 pic.twitter.com/qhVsp6lOwp
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 23, 2025
Redick Has Case for Coach of the Year
While many scoffed at a former player-turned-podcaster leading a storied franchise, Redick has quickly proved doubters wrong. The Lakers’ dramatic shift in both play and culture have made Redick a viable candidate for one of the league’s most prominent awards.
In Redick’s inaugural season, the Lakers 34-21 and fourth in the Western Conference—a mark they could only dream of in the last couple of years. They’ve already had statement victories over recent championship winners in Denver and Boston, and have enjoyed numerous winning streaks that have brought them well above .500. To Stephen A’s point about offensive improvement, LA currently ranks 10th in offensive rating (114.3)—a somewhat far cry from finishing 15th last year (115.4) or 19th in 2022-23. The team’s structure and discipline have been driving forces behind their recent success, thanks in large part to Redick’s knowledge of the game and his “basketball sicko” mentality. Redick claimed he didn’t sleep for two days to prepare against the Nuggets, making commercials like this surprisingly realistic.
Redick’s love for the game has clearly rubbed off on his players, who have bought into his vision and expectations for the group. Time and again, Redick has delivered praise where it’s due and provided criticism in the same fashion, even taking the blame for some of the Lakers’ losses this season. It’s that accountability and attention to detail that fans have missed from the Lakers’ coaches for some time, and it has yielded impressive results in the gauntlet of NBA action.
If Redick and the Lakers keep up their winning ways and approach the playoffs at full strength, the purple and gold have a legitimate shot at fighting for banner no. 18, and the “Coach of the Year” conversations around Redick could hold weight as well.
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