Lakers sign coach JJ Redick to contract extension ahead of 2025-26 NBA season
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Lakers sign coach JJ Redick to contract extension ahead of 2025-26 NBA season
James H. Williams, USA TODAY·USA TODAY Sports
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3 min read
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General manager Rob Pelinka and theLos Angeles Lakersexpressed a vote of "confidence and belief" in JJ Redick after his first season with the team, handing the head coach a contract extension.
Details about the extension were not immediately announced during the press conference that the two men had with reporters on Thursday, Sept. 25.
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"We think he's a special coach with a special voice that's really helping us to continue to define the culture of Lakers excellence," Pelinka said. "We just wanted to make a clear statement that this is what we believe in, what we're going to lean into and this is what our players are going to mold into as we continue to develop the identity. I think having long-term planning is helpful as we build this team and go forward."
Redick led the Lakers to a 50-32 record and the Pacific Division Championship last season. The Lakers were the third seed in the playoffs but lost the final three games in a five-game series against theMinnesota Timberwolvesand were eliminated in the first round.
2026: New York Knicks (beat San Antonio Spurs in five games)
(Dustin Safranek, Imagn Images)
2025: Oklahoma City Thunder (beat Indiana Pacers in seven games)
(Kyle Terada, Imagn Images)
2024: Boston Celtics (beat Dallas Mavericks in five games)
(Peter Casey, USA TODAY Sports)
2023: Denver Nuggets (beat Miami Heat in five games)
(Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports)
2022: Golden State Warriors (beat Boston Celtics in six games)
(Adam Glanzman, Getty Images)
2021: Milwaukee Bucks (beat Phoenix Suns in six games)
(Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)
2020: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Miami Heat in six games)
(Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)
2019: Toronto Raptors (beat Golden State Warriors in six games)
(Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports)
2018: Golden State Warriors (beat Cleveland Cavaliers in four games)
(David Richard, USA TODAY Sports)
2017: Golden State Warriors (beat Cleveland Cavaliers in five games)
(Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports)
2016: Cleveland Cavaliers (beat Golden State Warriors in seven games)
(Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports)
2015: Golden State Warriors (beat Cleveland Cavaliers in six games)
(Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)
2014: San Antonio Spurs (beat Miami Heat in five games)
(Brendan Maloney, USA TODAY Sports)
2013: Miami Heat (beat San Antonio Spurs in seven games)
(Brendan Maloney=, USA TODAY Sports)
2012: Miami Heat (beat Oklahoma City Thunder in five games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
2008: Boston Celtics (beat Los Angeles Lakers in six games)
(GABRIEL BOUYS, AFP via Getty Images)
2005: San Antonio Spurs (beat Detroit Pistons in seven games)
(ROBERT SULLIVAN, AFP via Getty Images)
2004: Detroit Pistons (beat Los Angeles Lakers in five games)
(Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images)
2003: San Antonio Spurs (beat New Jersey Nets in six games)
(JAMES NIELSEN, AFP via Getty Images)
2002: Los Angeles Lakers (beat New Jersey Nets in four games)
(Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY)
2001: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Philadelphia 76ers in five games)
(STAN HONDA, AFP via Getty Images)
1999: San Antonio Spurs (beat New York Knicks five games)
(TIMOTHY A. CLARY, AFP via Getty Images)
1997: Chicago Bulls (beat Utah Jazz in six games)
(JEFF HAYNES, AFP via Getty Images)
1996: Chicago Bulls (beat Seattle SuperSonics in six games)
(PAUL BUCK, AFP via Getty Images)
1995: Houston Rockets (beat Orlando Magic in four games)
(PAUL BUCK, AFP via Getty Images)
1994: Houston Rockets (beat New York Knicks in seven games)
(BOB STRONG, AFP via Getty Images)
1993: Chicago Bulls (beat Phoenix Suns in six games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
1992: Chicago Bulls (beat Portland Trail Blazers in six games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
1991: Chicago Bulls beat Los Angeles Lakers in five games.
(Ken Levine, Getty Images)
1990: Detroit Pistons (beat Portland Trail Blazers in five games)
(William Archie, Detroit Free Press)
1989: Detroit Pistons (beat Los Angeles Lakers in four games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
1988: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Detroit Pistons in seven games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
1987: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Boston Celtics in six games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
1/33
NBA champions through the years
2026: New York Knicks (beat San Antonio Spurs in five games)
(Dustin Safranek, Imagn Images)
1/33
NBA champions through the years
2026: New York Knicks (beat San Antonio Spurs in five games)
(Dustin Safranek, Imagn Images)
2/33
NBA champions through the years
2025: Oklahoma City Thunder (beat Indiana Pacers in seven games)
(Kyle Terada, Imagn Images)
3/33
NBA champions through the years
2024: Boston Celtics (beat Dallas Mavericks in five games)
(Peter Casey, USA TODAY Sports)
4/33
NBA champions through the years
2023: Denver Nuggets (beat Miami Heat in five games)
(Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports)
5/33
NBA champions through the years
2022: Golden State Warriors (beat Boston Celtics in six games)
(Adam Glanzman, Getty Images)
6/33
NBA champions through the years
2021: Milwaukee Bucks (beat Phoenix Suns in six games)
(Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)
7/33
NBA champions through the years
2020: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Miami Heat in six games)
(Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)
8/33
NBA champions through the years
2019: Toronto Raptors (beat Golden State Warriors in six games)
(Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports)
9/33
NBA champions through the years
2018: Golden State Warriors (beat Cleveland Cavaliers in four games)
(David Richard, USA TODAY Sports)
10/33
NBA champions through the years
2017: Golden State Warriors (beat Cleveland Cavaliers in five games)
(Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports)
11/33
NBA champions through the years
2016: Cleveland Cavaliers (beat Golden State Warriors in seven games)
(Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports)
12/33
NBA champions through the years
2015: Golden State Warriors (beat Cleveland Cavaliers in six games)
(Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)
13/33
NBA champions through the years
2014: San Antonio Spurs (beat Miami Heat in five games)
(Brendan Maloney, USA TODAY Sports)
14/33
NBA champions through the years
2013: Miami Heat (beat San Antonio Spurs in seven games)
(Brendan Maloney=, USA TODAY Sports)
15/33
NBA champions through the years
2012: Miami Heat (beat Oklahoma City Thunder in five games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
16/33
NBA champions through the years
2008: Boston Celtics (beat Los Angeles Lakers in six games)
(GABRIEL BOUYS, AFP via Getty Images)
17/33
NBA champions through the years
2005: San Antonio Spurs (beat Detroit Pistons in seven games)
(ROBERT SULLIVAN, AFP via Getty Images)
18/33
NBA champions through the years
2004: Detroit Pistons (beat Los Angeles Lakers in five games)
(Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images)
19/33
NBA champions through the years
2003: San Antonio Spurs (beat New Jersey Nets in six games)
(JAMES NIELSEN, AFP via Getty Images)
20/33
NBA champions through the years
2002: Los Angeles Lakers (beat New Jersey Nets in four games)
(Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY)
21/33
NBA champions through the years
2001: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Philadelphia 76ers in five games)
(STAN HONDA, AFP via Getty Images)
22/33
NBA champions through the years
1999: San Antonio Spurs (beat New York Knicks five games)
(TIMOTHY A. CLARY, AFP via Getty Images)
23/33
NBA champions through the years
1997: Chicago Bulls (beat Utah Jazz in six games)
(JEFF HAYNES, AFP via Getty Images)
24/33
NBA champions through the years
1996: Chicago Bulls (beat Seattle SuperSonics in six games)
(PAUL BUCK, AFP via Getty Images)
25/33
NBA champions through the years
1995: Houston Rockets (beat Orlando Magic in four games)
(PAUL BUCK, AFP via Getty Images)
26/33
NBA champions through the years
1994: Houston Rockets (beat New York Knicks in seven games)
(BOB STRONG, AFP via Getty Images)
27/33
NBA champions through the years
1993: Chicago Bulls (beat Phoenix Suns in six games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
28/33
NBA champions through the years
1992: Chicago Bulls (beat Portland Trail Blazers in six games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
29/33
NBA champions through the years
1991: Chicago Bulls beat Los Angeles Lakers in five games.
(Ken Levine, Getty Images)
30/33
NBA champions through the years
1990: Detroit Pistons (beat Portland Trail Blazers in five games)
(William Archie, Detroit Free Press)
31/33
NBA champions through the years
1989: Detroit Pistons (beat Los Angeles Lakers in four games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
32/33
NBA champions through the years
1988: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Detroit Pistons in seven games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
33/33
NBA champions through the years
1987: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Boston Celtics in six games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
Redick expressed a level of gratitude for the opportunity to have his contract extended, but also the understanding of the position that he's in.
"It's not lost on me the sort of rarity of a first-time head coach getting an extension," the coach said. "I recognize how fortunate I am to be with an organization that supports me that way."
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Following the conclusion of his first season with the Lakers, the coach explained that he spent the first four to six weeks looking back at what he learned.
"I thought about a lot of things," Redick said. "You certainly reflect on the previous season, both the successes and the failures and you do a lot of self-assessment."
He spent 15 years in the league as a guard but did not have any coaching experience. He was hosting a podcast with Lakers superstarLeBronJames before he was hired as theLos Angelescoach. Redick also worked as an analyst for ESPN/ABC.
Redick cited the philosophy and methodology of a coach as something he spent time thinking about in recent months.
"The philosophy of how we want to play and the methodology as a coach of how I want to teach that," he said. "That's where I spent a lot of my time this summer."
Redick called the offseason productive and educational and spent time with Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay.
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"One of the takeaways from that was utility plays," Redick explained. "That's something that is a football term and I think every basketball team has those utility plays. Those are plays where all three of those guys (James,Luka DončićandAustin Reaves) feel involved in some capacity and they are sharing the court together. "
The Lakers begin preseason play on Friday, Oct. 3 in Palm Desert, California, against thePhoenix Sunsat 10 p.m. ET. The Lakers will start the regular season with a nationally televised game against theGolden State Warriorson Oct. 21 at Crypto.com Arena.
