"I don't buy any of it"- Rachel Nichols slams comparisons between Lakers HC candidate JJ Redick and Pat Riley
Is JJ Redick comparable to Pat Riley? Rachel Nichols doesn’t think it’s fair to compare Redick, who has zero NBA coaching experience, to Riley, who had a long broadcasting career and assistant coach experience before becoming a head coach.
Shams Charania and Jovan Buha reported for The Athletic that the Lakers had officially interviewed JJ Redick to replace Darvin Ham. They noted that the Lakers "are infatuated with Redick’s potential" and view him as a "Pat Riley-like coaching prospect who could both help the franchise in the short term and lead it for years."
In an episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Nichols said JJ Redick might not be prepared enough to take over a tough job and handle two superstars with championship aspirations, given his lack of experience.
“I don't buy any of it. JJ Redick is going to be an excellent head coach. However, to compare him to Pat Riley, who not only was in broadcasting, but he broadcasted locally for the Lakers. He played for that team and then he watched that team every night. He knew the guys super well ... and then he became an assistant coach for 2+ seasons before he took over.
"That's the biggest knock on JJ. I think everyone knows how good he's going to be. It's just, can you walk into being a head coach of a team with two superstars that need to win now if you have no experience? That was not Pat Riley,” Nichols added. “Pat Riley had experience. He was on that bench, in the locker room and in the coaches' meetings. I just don't see the one-to-one comparison.”
Before becoming a head coach, Riley worked as a television broadcaster for the LA Lakers. He began this role in 1977 after retiring from his playing career and held the position until 1979.
In 1979, Riley moved to the next step in his coaching career by becoming an assistant coach for the Lakers under Paul Westhead. This role marked the start of his coaching journey.
Riley's rise to head coach was swift. He took over as the head coach of the Lakers early in the 1981-82 season following a clash between Magic Johnson and then-coach Paul Westhead.
Under his leadership, the Lakers won four NBA titles and made seven NBA Finals appearances during his nine-year tenure.
Shams Charania says JJ Redick is ‘frontrunner’ for Lakers head coaching job
During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Shams Charania mentioned that JJ Redick could be the frontrunner for the Lakers head coaching position due to the extensive time he has spent with the franchise.
Charania noted that the Lakers had met with Redick in Chicago at the Draft Combine, making him the first candidate to have a face-to-face meeting with the team.
“Going into this process and right now, my sense is that JJ Redick, he is the guy around the league that everyone believes is the frontrunner for this job,” he said.
“He’s in position, I think there’s infatuation with JJ Redick right now just in terms of his ability for right now, but also being a coach the Lakers can have for years and years to come.”
While he has zero NBA head coaching experience, Redick has been sharing his basketball knowledge in his podcast with LA superstar LeBron James called “Mind the Game” and duties as a commentator.