Mychal Thompson Praises Lakers' JJ Redick For Mimicking Legendary NBA Coaches

The former Lakers champion likes what he’s seeing from the first-year L.A. coach.

Dec 4, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick directs his team against the Miami Heat in the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are in shambles as we approach the quarter-mark of the 2024-25 season. They are not in a good spot as things stand, and a trade is inevitable for a team that is always in the mix to upgrade its roster in some way, shape, or form. 

While the roster is not a championship one, many are big fans of first-year head coach JJ Redick. Redick is not only in his first year as head coach of the Lakers but also his first year as head coach. 

Redick was thrown into the fire, and while his first year thus far is not going well, former Lakers champion Mychal Thompson is still a big fan. 

Appearing on the Outkick podcast Don't @ Me With Dan Dakich, Thompson raved about Redick and said he loves how he mimicked the coaching styles of legendary NBA coaches like Gregg Popovich and Pat Riley. 

“I like him because he's not afraid to challenge his players," said Thompson. "I see him get in the face of everybody on the team from LeBron right down to the 15th man on the team. He challenges this team. He's not afraid to be a Gregg Popovich type coach or Pat Riley and demand these guys and hold these guys to account to their responsibility so he doesn't back down from anybody. So this is just his first go around. I think he's learning on the job and doing a good job – we’re 13-11, blown some games that we should be 4 or 5 wins better, but that comes as a learning experience. But I like the way he coaches this team is not afraid to challenge these guys.”

Thompson is a former No. 1. overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He spent the first nine seasons of his career in Portland and the San Antonio Spurs before he was traded to the Lakers in Feb. 1987. 

Thompson was acquired as a backup center and power forward. He did his part and then some as he helped the Lakers win back-to-back titles in 1987 and 1988. He spent the next three-plus years in L.A. before he retired in 1991. Thompson is now the Lakers' color commentator for their flagship radio station, ESPN 710. 

Redick seems to be the right guy for the job, and the hope is that the Lakers will stick with him instead of rotating coaches every two to three seasons as they have in the past. 

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