Pelicans Scoop

NBA Champion, Ex-Pelicans Player Makes Bold JJ Redick Statement

The Los Angeles Lakers have been playing well to start the NBA season.

Joey Linn

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick looks on against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at Smoothie King Center.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick looks on against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at Smoothie King Center. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
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The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the best teams in the NBA to start the season. Entering Wednesday, the Lakers owned a 10-4 record that ranked third in the Western Conference. 

This record is carried by a six-game winning streak that is currently tied with the Orlando Magic for the longest active streak in the NBA. Superstar center Anthony Davis has been playing at an elite level to start the 2024-25 campaign, and 22-year veteran LeBron James has been great as well. Mix in high-level contributions from rookie Dalton Knecht and other rotation players, and the Lakers have a squad.

What is also impressive about this Lakers start, is it has come under rookie head coach JJ Redick. The Lakers took some criticism for this hire, but one former NBA champion believes Redick has been the early key to LA’s success.

JJ Redick and LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick with forward LeBron James (23) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In a post on X, 2008 NBA champion and former New Orleans Pelicans center Kendrick Perkins made a bold Redick statement.

Via Perkins: “The Lakers are on a 5 game winning streak… and yes AD and Bron is playing on a Different level, but the MF that’s making that engine run is JJ ‘MF’ Reddick!!!”

Redick has made it a point of emphasis to play through Davis, and that is a big reason the Lakers have been so successful. Averaging 30.7 points and 11.4 rebounds, Davis has been simply dominant.

For Perkins, who is now an ESPN analyst, he believes Redick is the biggest reason the Lakers have started the season so well. 

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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