The Los Angeles Lakers are rolling at the right time.
Winners of three straight games and sitting third in the Western Conference, the Lakers have found momentum as the season heads toward its second half. With All-Star Weekend approaching, the combination of LeBron James, Luka Dončić, and Austin Reaves has powered the surge, but head coach JJ Redick has become a central, steadying presence behind the team’s success.
That wasn’t always a given.
When Redick was hired, questions followed him into the role. He had no prior head-coaching experience and was better known to many fans for his podcasting career than for life on an NBA sideline. Two and a half seasons later, those doubts have largely disappeared.
Still, coaching a roster led by LeBron comes with its own realities.
Redick’s Honest Admission
After a recent win over the New Orleans Pelicans, Redick offered a candid glimpse into his relationship with James, one that quickly caught attention across the league.
“He’s Greg Maddux at the end of his career,” Redick said. “Every night he doesn’t have his best stuff, but he has enough to win. I’m his catcher, I’ve gotta figure out how to call the pitches. Sometimes he tells me to F off and he calls his own pitch, which is fine too.”
The comment underscored a dynamic that’s rare in professional sports: a coach openly acknowledging that his star player occasionally goes rogue.
A Different Standard for a Different Player
Redick has shown he isn’t afraid to make tough calls. In that same Pelicans game, he benched after a lazy play, sending a clear message about accountability.
But James operates on a different wavelength.
With more NBA mileage than almost anyone in league history, LeBron brings a level of game management that few coaches, or players, can match. Redick’s comparison to a veteran pitcher wasn’t accidental. Some nights are about raw dominance. Others are about control, timing, and feel.
Letting James “call his own pitch” isn’t a loss of authority, it’s an acknowledgment of basketball intelligence.
Why It’s a Sign of Trust, Not Tension
On the surface, Redick’s quote could be read as a star player overruling his coach. In reality, it points to something healthier.
Redick and James are the same age. Both are students of the game. One brings decades of on-court experience; the other combines a long playing career with a sharp analytical coaching mind. Their relationship appears built on dialogue, not hierarchy.
As the postseason picture begins to take shape, that mutual respect could prove just as valuable as any lineup adjustment or late-game play call.