Referee Dispute Nearly Ended JJ Redick’s Coaching Future, Before LeBron James Came to the Rescue

The Los Angeles Lakers are in the hunt to find their next coach. Even before losing to the Denver Nuggets in the first round, Darvin Ham’s position was hanging in suspension. His comments post-game would be the final straw in the saga. In the following hours, many potential candidates emerged. Amongst them, JJ Redick, who started a podcast with LeBron James recently received credible support. Incidentally, he recently narrated how everything he misses about the sport can be achieved through coaching.

It was Gilbert Arenas who once how NBA players are ‘miserable’ after retirement. It seems Redick is riding in the same boat. When questioned by Richard Jefferson about the coveted Lakers HC job, Redick clarified he hasn’t made any commitments. However, he did make an interesting statement on how he might consider such a job.

” I miss the action. I miss the competition. I miss leadership. I miss being on a team like in the locker room, like physically in a locker room after winning a road game,” Redick explained. “The things that I miss and the things that I love doing that involves coaching”. 

Laker Nation might be jumping merrily after hearing Redick’s passionate statement. However, what comes next might have the Lakers reviewing their candidates once again.

JJ Redick couldn’t stay on in a children’s game?

The conversation of coaching prompted Channing Frye to say he would love to coach but his lack of patience would make him incompetent. Redick then revealed how his occupied schedule forced him to retire from coaching a “travel team”. As he said that, Jefferson began rubbing his chin carefully placing his next question. “Have you ever been thrown out of a game?” he asked Redick.

The former Sixers’ face dropped as if he knew what Jefferson was trying to do. Then he provided them with the story of how he was kicked out from a children’s game. “It was an unwarranted ejection” Redick insisted. The now broadcaster recalls the referee calling “questionable” travel calls on his team. Later, when the opposition blatantly did the same late in the game, JJ Redick put the official on the spot.

“I said ‘Are you seriously not going to call that a travel?’. He gave me a technical. And I just asked him ‘Did you seriously just give me a technical?’. And he threw me out of the game for that. There was no curse words, I didn’t raise my voice, I didn’t step to him. I was just like ‘What!’,” Redick explained.

It goes without saying that coaching a children’s game doesn’t showcase the entire array of Redick’s coaching instincts. Yet, incidents can very well prompt self-doubt. Additionally, just yesterday Colin Cowherd called out Redick for not dressing appropriately as a head coaching candidate. The former Clippers guard simply replied with “Lol”, before his good friend LeBron James came to his defense.

The aid from James and their growing bond could play a decisive part in Redick’s hiring to the Lakers. His words and understanding of the game are well-documented. His dismissal of scrutiny was loud when he shrugged off Cowherd. Now, he has the support of James, probably the most influential part of the process. Do you think Redick can take the helm successfully for the Lakers then?