As a first-time NBA head coach, JJ Redick had to start from scratch when building his Los Angeles Lakers coaching staff.

He made it clear he wanted to surround himself with as much experience as possible, and he did. Redick brought in two former head coaches, Nate McMillan and Scotty Brooks, as well as longtime assistant Bob Beyer.

The rest of the staff is comprised of promising young coaches like Greg St. Jean, Beau Levesque and Lindsey Harding. That was intentional, as Redick explained on Spectrum’s Lakeshow Podcast that he was looking for coaches who would work extremely hard:

“I’m most excited to get to work, to be in the gym with the guys and our coaching staff. That’s the best part… It’s fascinating because you put the pieces together based on skill sets and personalities. I couldn’t be happier with the staff we’ve built here, we’ve got a mix of youth and experience. Obviously Nate (McMillan) and Scotty (Brooks), but also Bob Beyer, who’s been on the bench for almost two decades in the NBA. The biggest thing for me was making sure I had a bunch of crazy guys on my staff and I think I did that. They’re hard workers.”

The Lakers didn’t make any significant roster changes this summer, so they’re hoping the coaching change and the addition of Redick will make a big difference after parting ways with Darvin Ham.

Whether that will be the case remains to be seen, but Redick and his staff certainly have pieces to work with in LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, etc.

Jeanie Buss Talks Lakers’ Hiring of JJ Redick

Speaking for the first time this offseason, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss discussed the team’s hiring of head coach JJ Redick and why he is the right man for the job.

“We wanted to think differently. He really has a vision. I’m not comfortable talking about basketball, but we were looking for a guy who would bring something different and really invest in developing young players. JJ is the right guy for us. Again, I just want to work on speaking for himself. So I don’t want to hype him up and say he’s going to be a masterstroke. We have to give him time to establish what he wants to establish. I’m really impressed with his staff. Right now, it’s not mandatory for players to come to practice, but players come and practice. The coaching staff with Nate McMillan and Scotty Brooks, he has a lot of experience that will allow him to adapt to being a head coach. He’s certainly had a 12-year career in the league, he’s got a lot of experience. He knows what this league is about and I think he’s going to be a great leader.”

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