JJ Redick knows he is a competitive guy. But he also knows he has to keep that in check if he hopes to lead the perennially contending Lakers to a championship in the near future.
Speaking before the team's preseason opener vs. the Suns on Oct. 3, Redick said he really tried to work on his fiery attitude over the offseason, so as to avoid another "meltdown" (his words) like the one he had during a preseason meeting in Palm Springs last year.
“I spent a lot of time after the season with my performance coach and did a lot of journaling, self-reflection and all that stuff, worked through some things," Redick told reporters. "I think the biggest thing for me is just having the ability to properly turn it on and off, and also recognizing—and I have always recognized this—not everybody is wired like Kobe,” Redick said.
“I am not saying I am wired like Kobe, but not everybody is wired like Tom Brady or Kobe, you know? You gotta kinda meet guys where they are. That doesn’t change the standard or expectation for them, but having a little bit of empathy on that."
Watch that reflective answer below:
JJ Redick:
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 5, 2025
“I spent a lot of time after the season with my performance coach and did a lot of self reflection. I think the biggest thing for me is just having the ability to properly turn it on and off. And recognizing not everybody is wired like Kobe. You got to kind of meet… pic.twitter.com/OQbnijCqDY
A passionate coach isn't necessarily a bad thing, but Redick is right that you can't be too critical, either. Hopefully, whatever balance he is aiming to strike this season will come through in the Lakers' play.
After losing their first two preseason contests, L.A. will have a chance to get some much-needed momentum for the regular season come Sunday, when they face the Warriors at 9:30 p.m. ET.
More NBA on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Lakers' J.J. Redick Had Reflective Reply to Question About Fiery Coaching Mentality .
