JJ Redick clarifies rant on asking for worn-in basketball after T-Wolves win
New Lakers coach JJ Redick went viral for his remarks after his first win at the helm, leading LA to a 110-103 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on opening night. In his postgame remarks, he deadpanned that he would request the league to let the Lakers play with worn-in basketballs instead of brand-new ones.
On Thursday, Redick clarified that his comments were only half-serious. Speaking to Lakers media at practice, he said (per ESPN's Dave McMenamin):
“Hopefully we'll spend years together and not a short period of time. Hopefully, you'll understand that sometimes when I go on these things, I am being half serious, but it's also a bit. I know where the ball is coming from.”
Despite this, it's easy to take JJ Redick's remarks seriously, as he sounded earnest when he first made the statement.
"I'm going to send in a request for the league tomorrow that we can play with worn-in basketballs," Redick said. "I'm not sure why we're playing in real games — I'm being dead serious — I'm not sure why we're playing in real games with brand-new basketballs,” he said on Tuesday.
“Anybody who's ever touched an NBA ball brand new, it's a different feel and touch than a worn-in basketball. I didn't realize it until a timeout. There was a long rebound, I grabbed it. I was like, 'What? Why are we playing with this ball? Give the guys the opportunity to pick a good basketball.' You think I'm joking. I'm neurotic."
Redick's comments partly stemmed from the Lakers' struggles with their 3-point shooting, as they made only five of their 30 attempts from beyond the arc. Despite their perimeter struggles, they dominated the paint, outscoring Minnesota 72-40.
JJ Redick says Lakers’ rotation to be ‘fluid’
With Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood sidelined due to injuries, JJ Redick said before the season opener that he expects the Lakers’ rotation to change frequently.
"I would say it's very fluid," Redick said (per SilverScreenAndRoll). "And that's not to say that a nine- or 10-man rotation will be set in stone game to game or week to week and who is in that nine or 10-man rotation? I'm well aware that guys are going miss games sometimes,” he said.
While he confirmed his starting lineup of D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and Anthony Davis before the season even started, JJ Redick said that rotations would be matchup-based.
“We feel like we have, if it ends up being nine or 10, we have a couple of guys that are ready to step in and fill in into spots in the rotation. It's also matchup-based, to be honest with you, whether or not we do nine- or 10-man rotation," he said.
The Lakers will face the Phoenix Suns, who also won their season opener, on Friday.