Inside The Spurs

Lakers Coach JJ Redick's Heartfelt Message to Victor Wembanyama

Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick reacted to Victor Wembanyama's season-ending injury

Matt Guzman

Mar 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick at press conference at the Crypto.com Arena.
Mar 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick at press conference at the Crypto.com Arena. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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SAN ANTONIO — As Chris Paul predicted when the news first broke, other teams have certainly enjoyed the lack of a 7-foot-4 beast in the paint on defense.

Trust me, you can't replace Vic," the point guard said lightheartedly."I can't stand on a guy's shoulders and block every shot that comes to the rim."

Last Monday against the Los Angeles Lakers, that was evident. The San Antonio Spurs dropped their makeup contest on the road, 125-109, and while they outrebounded their hosts, a flurry of turnovers ultimately sealed their fate.

Lakers coach J.J. Redick certainly enjoyed the win — the Lakers used it to inch closer to the Western Conference's No. 2 seed — but took time to speak on the missing presence of Wembanyama.

"He’s one-of-one," the coach said. “I had the fortune of having him on my podcast before he got drafted ... I was really struck by his maturity and thoughtfulness."

Since arriving in San Antonio, Wembanyama has taken the league by storm between his highlight-worthy plays and down-to-earth interests. Legos included.

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama
Mar 4, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) looks over in the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

His injury is certainly a setback for the Spurs; an advantage for his opponents, too. But as much as they might benefit from it, they'll still wish he were there.

“I wish him well and hopefully he’s back on the court very soon and doesn’t have a long-term issue,” Redick said. “He’s just a great human and great player and just a great representative of our league.

"Got to know him a little bit and I feel for him.”

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Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.

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