Coach K Believes JJ Redick Will Thrive as Lakers Head Coach

Coach K coached JJ Redick at Duke.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

There are lot of questions heading into J.J. Redick's first season as the Los Angeles Lakers head coach. The former NBA player was hired as the Lakers next coach despite having no prior coaching experience, leading many to doubt if Redick can successfully bring the Lakers to contention.

While there will be doubters until Redick proves otherwise, he does have the belief from his former college basketball head coach at Duke, Mike Krzyzewski.

“For me, JJ is amazingly competitive, and is prepared as well as any player that I coached at Duke," Krzyzewski told Colin Cowherd on The Herd. "He’s smart, he’s confident and he understands the game and having 15 years of being a pro, he has empathy for the guy trying to make it when he’s trying to make and makes it, and for the veteran who is still trying to make it."

Mike Krzyzewski discusses JJ Redick coaching the Lakers:

"He's prepared as well as any player I've coached at Duke... I think he has empathy for what a roster would look like." pic.twitter.com/Khm99i34YM

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) July 30, 2024

"He was never a superstar in the NBA but he was certainly a superstar and the National Player of the Year when he played in college," Krzyzewski added. "So I think he has empathy for what a roster would look like. He certainly understands the pro game and he desperately wants to be a coach. I think he’s surrounded himself up to now, I don’t know his entire staff, but with some veteran coaches which will help him. I love him. I think he’s terrific and I think he can relate to his players at the best level.”

While playing for Coach K, Redick was one of the best players in college basketball. He was named the National Player of the Year in 2006, and was a two-time Rupp Trophy winner, given to the best player in college basketball. He was even recognized outside of just college basketball, winning the James E. Sullivan award, given to the top athlete annually at the collegiate or Olympic level. He also was the ACC Athlete of the Year.

Redick got the chance to learn under Coach K, who is one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history. He led his teams to 13 NCAA Final Fours over his nearly 50-year coaching career, and was a five-time NCAA champion and three-time Naismith College Coach of the Year winner.

Few have had a better mentor than Redick did with Coach K, and will now look to make that level of impact with the Lakers:

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