JJ Redick says that, when he first joined the Los Angeles Lakers as a coach, he felt like he was “cosplaying” the role rather than fully understanding what it required. Speaking at Lakers practice, Redick made the comment when asked how different his third year coaching feels compared with his first.
Redick’s remarks reflect a broader period of adjustment early in his Lakers tenure, when the position comes with intense expectations and constant scrutiny. Yahoo Sports reports that, despite two initial seasons that drew significant attention, Redick portrays himself as still learning the job’s day-to-day demands. Other coverage similarly focuses on Redick’s willingness to describe those early uncertainties and the gap between intention and reality.
While outlets vary slightly in how they frame the admissions—some emphasizing the “mistakes” learning curve—each account centers on Redick’s perspective that his initial approach did not match the full responsibility of the head-coaching role when he arrived in Los Angeles.
