The Los Angeles Lakers are set to hire retired NBA player JJ Redick as their next head coach on a four-year contract, CBS Sports’ Bill Reiter confirmed to reporters via a source.
Redick’s hiring was announced after University of Connecticut men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley turned down a six-year, $70 million offer for the job last week.
The 39-year-old Redick has never coached at the professional or amateur level, but his 15-year NBA career included stints with the Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks.
The Duke University basketball star has garnered acclaim for his media roles since retiring, including as an anchor for ESPN and a podcast host. Redick provided play-by-play commentary for the NBA Finals, which ended on Monday with the Boston Celtics winning the championship.
Redick was one of the final candidates for the Lakers’ head coaching position, and the team contacted him again after Hurley turned down the Lakers’ offer.
According to CBS Sports, Redick has been a candidate for coaching positions with several NBA teams since last summer.
He interviewed with the Toronto Raptors after the 2023 season and was a finalist for the Charlotte Hornets head coaching position this offseason, but that role went to Charles Lee, who was an assistant coach with the Celtics at the time.
Redick will be the Lakers’ seventh head coach since legendary player Phil Jackson retired in 2011. Redick replaces Darvin Ham, who was fired after the Lakers were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs in April of this year.
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