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NBA legend and former Los Angeles Lakers star Shaquille O’Neal shut down any comparisons between JJ Redick and his former coach Miami Heat coach Pat Riley.
“No, stop it,” O’Neal said on the Pat McAfee Show on the Redick hype as the next Riley. “Don’t even — no, stop it. Stop. Stop it.
First of all, JJ is a nice guy. Pat Riley is the man. So, imagine you come in and [expletive] JJ Redick starts yellin’ at you. It’s gon’ be a [expletive] fight in there. Players ain’t goin’ for all that yellin’ and all that screamin’ and all that extra runnin’ — next Pat Riley my ass!”
During the Lakers’ coaching search, a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic in May described Redick’s potential as Riley-like.
“The Lakers are infatuated with Redick’s potential, according to league sources, viewing him as a Pat Riley-like coaching prospect who could both help the franchise in the short term and lead it for years,” Charania wrote.
Like Riley, Redick also had a long NBA career as a role player and became a successful TV personality before making the jump to coaching. But there is one stark difference in their career paths. Riley was fully equipped for the job as he started first as an assistant coach before eventually getting the big break to coach the Lakers.
It remains to be seen whether Redick could match Riley’s accomplishments as a coach: five NBA championships, including four with the Lakers.
Shaq on What JJ Redick Should Do to Earn His Players’ Trust
While O’Neal dismissed the Riley comparisons, he wanted Redick to taste success in his glamorous but pressure-packed job as the new Lakers head coach.
“Listen, I like JJ,” O’Neal continued. He’s a good friend of mine. I hope he can [be successful].”
O’Neal wished though the Lakers could have got younger.
For Redick to become successful, O’Neal gave him a piece of unsolicited advice which he culled from his experiences as a player under Riley and Phil Jackson, two of the greatest coaches in NBA history.
“He has to learn the [Lakers] culture,” O’Neal said. “Know what guys like and what they don’t like like.”
O’Neal recalled Jackson’s psychological approach to coaching to drive his point.
“For example, example you can’t yell at everybody,” O’Neal said. “Phil Jackson was a master of that. He brings us in to interview us. But he trying to check out our psychological state.”
Jackson used to hand out books for his players to read to help their mental state, O’Neal recalled.
“So [Redick] has to know each individual,” O’Neal said. “Their do’s and their don’ts and what they can like and if he gets on that good side, they’ll ride for him. But [if] you get on the guy’s bad side, that’s gonna make the job much harder.”
JJ Redick Calls His Coaching Starr ‘Bunch of Sickos’
Redick isn’t more pleased with the way he and the Lakers built his coaching staff to help him in his rookie year as head coach.
“I’m mostly excited just to work, just being in the gym out here in this facility with the guys and our coaching staff,” Redick said on the “Lakeshow” podcast on September 6. “That’s been the best part… It’s been fascinating because you’re fitting puzzle pieces together about skillsets and personalities. I couldn’t be happier with the staff that we’ve built here.
We have a blend of youth and experience. Obviously, Nate (McMillan) and Scotty (Brooks), but also Bob Beyer, who has been at the front of the bench for almost two decades in the NBA. The biggest thing for me was I wanted to make sure I had a bunch of sickos on my staff and I think I’ve accomplished that. They’re grinders.”
The Lakers have surrounded Redick with former NBA head coaches (McMillan and Brooks), along with G League Coach of the Year Lindsey Harding. Beyer, Greg St. Jean and Beau Levesque complete Redick’s staff.
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