Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Great Hatches 'Pure Filth' Harmony in Coaching Debut

Distinguished Duke basketball legend JJ Redick is now 1-0 in his new profession.

Matt Giles

Former Duke basketball guard JJ Redick
Former Duke basketball guard JJ Redick / Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images
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Tuesday night marked JJ Redick's first regular season outing as a head coach at any level beyond his sons' elementary-grade rec games. No problem. Although hurdles and learning lessons are certain to arise, the all-time Duke basketball scorer and former 15-year NBA journeyman sharpshooter looked the part of a savvy leader in improving to 1-0 as his Los Angeles Lakers delivered a 110-103 home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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Well-orchestrated strategy. Well-practiced execution.

Both were on display in Los Angeles' opening possession of the third quarter alone, with the ball touching the hands of four Lakers and culminating in an emphatically symphonic alley-oop connection between relay lobber LeBron James and towering flusher Anthony Davis:

That play, bumping their lead to 57-42 fresh out of the break, drew the above "pure filth" descriptor from The Athletic's Sam Vecenie in spotlighting early indicators of the 40-year-old JJ Redick's innate coaching acumen.

The Lakers roster includes one Duke basketball product in 2018-19 Blue Devil one-and-done wing and No. 10 overall draft pick Cam Reddish, now in his second season in Los Angeles. However, Redick didn't call Reddish's number against the Timberwolves.

Redick, Reddish, Davis, and James — times two, as Redick goes down as the head coach who officially entered Bronny James and LeBron James into the history books as the first father-son duo to play together in an NBA game — now gear up to host the Phoenix Suns at 10 p.m. ET Friday (ESPN).

Phoenix's cast features three of the ACC-leading 24 NBA Blue Devils on opening-week rosters across the league in Grayson Allen, Tyus Jones, and Mason Plumlee.

RELATED: List of Former Duke Players Currently in the NBA

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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