At long last, the Los Angeles Lakers have named former NBA player turned ESPN broadcaster and prominent podcast JJ Redick as their next head coach. But what does this mean for his podcasting career, particularly with his new franchise player, LeBron James
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to announce the news on Thursday:
Wojnarowski cites how Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka “became sold” on Redick for several reasons. The insider notably highlights his now-former colleague’s “ability to connect with players and his basketball IQ.”
Will LeBron James and JJ Redick continue their podcast? Likely not
One player Redick has undoubtedly connected with is Lakers superstar LeBron James. The two co-host a podcast titled Mind The Game, a platform they share to give us insight into their extensive knowledge of hoops. However, the former officially being named the coach of the Lakers could complicate matters.
Can Redick and James continue podcasting? And if so, will they? We are in unchartered territory, considering these are unprecedented circumstances.
Will the LeBron James and JJ Redick podcast continue after the Lakers hire?
Theoretically, nothing stops Redick and James from continuing to operate should they please. But practically speaking, it doesn’t sound logical. They would be airing out strategy and viewpoints to the masses, which doesn’t sound like a recipe for success. By doing so, you are publicizing this information and allowing opponents to gain a competitive advantage.
Moreover, it also creates unwanted attention and a sense of favoritism. Retired NBA veteran Udonis Haslem recently appeared on ESPN’s NBA Today in May, where the topic came up. He outlined why hiring Redick may create a “cynical” locker room in Los Angeles, especially if the two continue podcasting.
“You’re going to see guys that are going to say, ‘Is coach [Redick] going to do a podcast after the game with LeBron?’”
Additionally, Haslem believes other players on the Lakers will “side-eye” everything Redick says because they will be wondering: “‘Is it JJ’s message? Or is it LeBron’s message?’”
Haslem is as qualified as anyone in the world to weigh in on the matter, considering he spent 20 years in the Association. So, his thoughts are assuredly noteworthy.
Redick is a first-time head coach for arguably the most iconic franchise in league history that expects to compete for a championship yearly. In other words, he has enough on his plate as it is. While he and James have a massive following (655,000 YouTube subscribers), they have bigger fish to fry.
