If you’re looking for job security, being the head coach of an NBA team might not be your best bet. Just ask the Los Angeles Lakers, where Championship or Bust is the name of the game, and Jeanie Buss hasn’t hesitated to cut ties with coaches. With that in mind, rookie head coach JJ Redick could already have a sword hanging over his head before the season even starts—but he doesn’t seem too bothered.
In a recent interview, when asked if the short shelf life of NBA coaches made him rethink taking the Lakers job, Redick replied with a laugh, “It didn’t register at all. I’ll probably get fired someday.” Given that his predecessor, Darvin Ham, was shown the door after leading the Lakers to the Conference Finals, Redick knows the stakes. But the sharpshooter-turned-coach seems unfazed, adding, “Chances are. (laughs) I hope not.”
As Redick gears up for his first season leading one of the NBA’s most high-pressure teams, he’s keeping things light. But with the Lakers’ sky-high expectations, fans will be watching closely to see how long this laid-back approach lasts.
