The Los Angeles Lakers hiring JJ Redick has not gone down well with most in the basketball community. While some have pointed out his close connections with LeBron James as the reason, most fans and analysts fail to understand how an inexperienced coach has been given the keys to arguably the biggest franchise in the NBA. This has also raised the concern of deserving candidates not getting an opportunity like Redick. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott didn’t hold back while discussing the same and took a dig at the new Lakers HC.

In an interview video shared by Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, Scott stated that Boston Celtics assistant coach and former All-Star, Sam Cassell, should be the head coach of one of the teams in the league. “He should be head coach,” Scott said, referring to Cassell. The 54-year-old has a wealth of experience as his coaching career, which began in 2009, includes stints with the Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Clippers, and Philadelphia 76ers, before joining the Celtics as an assistant coach last year.

Continuing his praise for Cassell, Brandon Scott remarked that nobody else has the same record as Sam, both as a player and as an assistant coach. Furthermore, he firmly stated that no other NBA assistant coach deserves a head coach job more than Cassell. The former All-Star won 3 titles as a player and recently won his first as a coach.

Agreeing with Scoop B’s remark about Cassell’s achievements, Scott emphasized, “He won four rings.” However, Scott couldn’t resist taking a dig at JJ Redick as he pointed out that JJ has only one ring. “JJ has one ring, and that’s the one with his wife,” Scott said.

The Boston Celtics recently surpassed the Lakers to claim the most championships (18) in NBA history with head coach Joe Mazzulla and Sam Cassell as his assistant. On the other hand, JJ Redick’s journey took a completely different path. After retiring from playing, Redick became a prominent analyst for ESPN. However, his career took an unexpected turn when he applied for the Lakers’ head coach position and secured the job, despite having no prior coaching experience.

JJ Redick’s Surprise Coaching Move Faces Skepticism and Support

The list of skeptics doesn’t end with Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott. Notably, Jared Dudley, the current assistant coach of the Dallas Mavericks, also mocked Redick’s rapid ascent in a recent interview. Expressing his own desire to coach an NBA team, he emphasized the importance of building a strong portfolio. “I want to head coach, that’s my dream… Some of us aren’t JJ Redick and get to go right away,” he said, highlighting the perceived disparity in their coaching paths.

Nevertheless, Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka revealed that Redick was always part of the franchise’s “Plan A pool” of candidates. In an interview with ESPN, Redick himself discussed his motivations for pursuing a coaching career despite his success in the media industry. “I felt a calling to coach,” he explained, shedding light on his passion and commitment to his new role.

In his introductory interview, Redick expressed his ambition to win a championship with the Lakers. Furthermore, he said, “It’s all of our jobs to deliver a championship-caliber team, that’s what I signed up for.” Can JJ Redick win a championship with the Lakers? Only time will tell.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.