When the Los Angeles Lakers ended the 2023-2024 season with a 47-35 record and a loss to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs, the team fired head coach Darvin Ham.
Ham had only been on the job for two years after he replaced Frank Vogel following the 2021-22 season.
Weeks of speculation passed as the franchise vacillated among several names which included former NBA player JJ Redick and current University of Connecticut men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley.
Finally, on June 24, the Lakers announced that Redick would be its 29th head coach in the organization’s history.
The hiring has been panned by critics as Redick has never been an NBA coach and was already a good friend, and fellow podcast host, of LA forward LeBron James.
On Friday, Steve Francis, who played for three NBA teams from 1999 through 2008, shared his thoughts about the hire.
“There’s no way that just because he went to Duke, and he criticizes people on television, like he sounds like a great coach but… All these guys who have experience and get looked over just because it’s the ‘it’ thing right now with generation cuz these guys are doing these podcasts,” said Francis, via Legion Hoops on X.
Steve Francis doesn’t approve of Lakers hiring JJ Redick:
“There’s no way that just because he went to Duke, and he criticizes people on television, like he sounds like a great coach but… All these guys who have experience and get looked over just because it’s the ‘it’ thing… pic.twitter.com/9WnG1hJIil
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 12, 2024
Earlier this year, James and Redick joined together to co-host “Mind the Game,” a podcast that discusses all things basketball.
Because of that relationship, several media members and fans alike believe that James had a heavy influence in Redick’s hiring.
A common thread among the naysayers is that James will run over the top of his former podcast partner and that Redick is simply a placeholder as James nears the end of his career.
