With the basketball world still talking about JJ Redick becoming the new head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, one person who gave their thoughts was his former teammate in Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid. In an interview with David Marchese of The New York Times focusing on his career and his current stint with Team USA for the Olympics, Embiid spoke about Redick taking the Lakers job and if it is a good fit.
Marchese would ask “You played with JJ Redick. What do you think about his taking the Lakers job with no prior coaching experience?” which prompted Embiid's response, one that fans of Los Angeles might not want to hear. He would say that he does not know “if that's a perfect situation” especially since the job is a “make or break situation.”
“If I was him, I don’t know if that’s a perfect situation,” Embiid said. “Maybe he thinks that’s a perfect situation. But if you’re coming in, especially with a job like the Lakers, it’s kind of a make-or-break situation, because if you succeed, great, you’re going to be coaching for years. But if you don’t succeed, those coaches are usually bound to be fired within a year or two. I love him, I’m happy for him, but that’s a tough job.”
Embiid speaks about when Redick left the 76ers in 2019
Embiid is not the first and will not be the last to say that the Lakers is not an easy job to take since the franchise has an immense legacy and prestige, plus the current team has such stars as LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Redick and Embiid played together on the 76ers from 2017 to 2019 as the center even touched on how when the now head coach left the team along with Jimmy Butler after being in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, he was not having fun playing basketball.
“2020 was probably my worst year in the NBA,” Embiid said via The New York Times. “I wasn’t having fun. Going back to continuity: We got rid of Jimmy and JJ [Redick] and basically started over. I’m just like: Why? That doesn’t make sense. The following year, we’re just struggling. We’re not as good as we should be. The whole year I’m just like, I don’t want to play basketball. I didn’t care. It was just depressing. I wasn’t there. Before that I used to interact with the fans, always laughing.”
“Then I became more serious,” Embiid continued. “I think a lot of people in Philadelphia think I don’t care about basketball because I’m not doing what they’re used to — or I’m not having fun. Nah, I’m still having fun, but I’m just so focused. I don’t have the energy to be interacting. I’m trying to do the job, I’m just different, I’m more serious, I’m more mature. So, yeah, it’s a lot to think about. But I love Philly. I’ve been here for 10 years. It’s looking like I’m going to be here for a long time and actually have the opportunity to finish my career here. If they’ll let me.”
Lakers hoping JJ Redick can improve team after firing of Darvin Ham
After Redick played his last season in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks in 2021 after being in the league for 15 years, he became a sports analyst famously for ESPN. Fast forward to the present and he is now a head coach in the association as people always complimented the way he looks at the game of basketball.
Los Angeles is trying to improve after finishing with a 47-35 record which put them in the seventh seed as they were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the NBA Playoffs in a disappointing five games. The Lakers are hoping Redick could bolster the team after firing Darvin Ham.
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