JJ Redick Says he Doesn’t Deserve to be Mentioned with Lakers Legends

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LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 14, 2026: Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick directs his team during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena on March 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Lakers have really turned things around since the All-Star break. They have been one of the best teams in the NBA. They have won 16 of their last 18 games. With that winning streak intact, they sit third in the Western Conference standings.

JJ Redick has coached the team in each of the last two seasons. He has taken a lot of criticism during that time, as every Lakers coach does. He understands that it is part of the territory, especially since he was a first-time head coach.

After beating the Cavaliers on Tuesday night, Redick became the first head coach since Phil Jackson to have back-to-back 50-win seasons. Redick doesn’t want that kind of praise.

Lakers’ JJ Redick Doesn’t Want Compared to Phil Jackson, Pat Riley

After the game, Redick was made aware of that fact. He made it clear he doesn’t think he deserves to be in the same breath as Jackson or Pat Riley.

“Don’t deserve to be mentioned along with Phil or Pat or any of those guys. I’ve got a lot left to accomplish for sure. I think both teams, I’ve had the same staff for the most part, both years. I just think we are resilient and we are resolved. And I think part of that is what I talked about pregame in terms of just not willing to quit on a problem that just seems sometimes unsolvable.”

Redick was quick to give credit to his assistant coaches. Still, he deserves a lot of credit for the job he has done, especially with some personal challenges. He was one of the many people in the city of Los Angeles to lose his home in the Palisades fire last year.

The Lakers are playing their best basketball of the year at the right time. Redick deserves an immense amount of credit for finding a way to put all of the pieces together properly. That is why the team looks like a dangerous out in the Western Conference playoffs.

JJ Redick Won’t be Truly Validated Until he Wins a Title

Redick understands that he won’t truly be accepted as the head coach in LA until he wins a title. That is the measuring stick for all Lakers coaches. That is what Jackson and Riley were able to do in their tenures. He still has a long way to go to achieve that goal.

Right now, the Lakers have the 11th-worst defense in the league. Fixing that number in the next couple of weeks will be the determining factor on whether or not they will have a chance to win the NBA Finals. Beating the Thunder and the Spurs will be no easy feat.

Getting Luka Doncic to this level offensively has been incredible. LeBron James accepting a supporting role might be the greatest thing Redick has done in coaching thus far. Those two pieces are the core for this team having hope in the postseason.

The Lakers need to stay in the third-seed to stay away from the Thunder for as long as possible.

Ryan Stano Ryan Stano covers the NBA and College Football for Heavy.com. He has been covering sports since 2017, covering the NFL, College Football, College Basketball, and the NBA. His work has been featured on Yahoo, Bleacher Report, FanSided, and Sports Illustrated. More about Ryan Stano