JJ Redick Addresses Lakers' Public Pursuit of Dan Hurley

Redick said his ego wasn't bruised by Lakers courting Dan Hurley.

Jun 9, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; ESPN analyst JJ Redick looks on before game two of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

JJ Redick was introduced as the 29th head coach in the history of the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, and very quickly the attention turned to the franchise's very public pursuit of Connecticut coach Dan Hurley.

Lakers president Rob Pelinka was asked about the franchise's attempt to hire Hurley, and demurred, saying he would be happy to address it at another time. Redick decided to dive into the topic and showed impressive poise, grace and humor when talking about the situation.

"Dan Hurley is a two-time national champion at UConn. I am a two-time 55 Swish League champion in the third and fourth grade division," Redick said with a smile. "I understood."

"Dan Hurley is a two-time national champion at UConn. I am a two-time 55 Swish League Champion in the 3rd and 4th grade division. I understood."

— JJ Redick on the Lakers' former interest in Dan Hurley pic.twitter.com/FwM5vPJPYI

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) June 24, 2024

The self-awareness there is pretty great. And, frankly, Redick is right not to be offended that the Lakers went after a highly-successful coach with a track record. Hurley is arguably the hottest coaching commodity in all of sports right now, Redick has no coaching experience above youth basketball.

Earlier in the press conference, Redick also addressed the expectations of the job he is signing on to. He relayed that the fans and everyone involved with the Lakers expect championships and nothing less. It is now his job to get the team there.

No one knows how the Redick hire will turn out. It feels like a high-ceiling, low-floor move, as the Lakers hired a guy who has never coached an NBA game. Redick's record as a head coach may be 0-0, but on Monday he won the press conference.