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"We want him to be the lion" - JJ Redick explains his custom Deandre Ayton shirt
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- "We want him to be the lion" - JJ Redick explains his custom Deandre Ayton shirt
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick has a unique way of sending a message to his players. On Saturday, before the Lakers faced the Milwaukee Bucks , Redick wore a custom shirt that featured Deandre Ayton' s family name and number on the back and Ayton's face, along with the face of a lion.
When reporters asked Redick what the shirt was about, JJ simply said, "We want him to be the lion."
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A rejuvenated Ayton playing for the Lakers
Ayton has long been considered one of the biggest enigmas in the NBA. The seven-footer is one of the most ultra-talented big men in the league. However, he has never lived up to the expectations of being the No. 1 overall pick in the Draft Class that included Luka Doncic , who is now his teammate in Los Angeles .
When the Lakers signed Ayton last summer, many were skeptical whether he was the big man that they wanted to pair with Doncic. He was coming off a season in Portland where he averaged just 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game and was bought out after the 2024-25 campaign. Well, DA's numbers this season aren't any different, at just 15.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. However, many people notice that he is playing a different tune.
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Deandre has always been criticized for being passive, timid, and even lazy. However, he has looked rejuvenated in L.A. and has put up four double-doubles in his last seven games played, including an impressive 20 points on 9-13 shooting and a 10-rebound performance against the Bucks in Milwaukee.
Stephen A. says Deandre is showing a pulse in L.A.
Just ten days ago, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, who used to be one of Ayton's strongest critics, went out of his way to give Deandre his flowers after he helped the Lakers to a 7-2 start when Luka missed time with an injury.
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"I can't believe he's showing he's got a pulse," said Smith. "This brother is playing 31 minutes a night. He's averaging 17.5 points and 8 rebounds, 17.5 and 8. Deandre Ayton ? I'm like 'What?' I can't believe it. I just can't believe it. I'm not saying it's going to last, but they are doing this without LeBron James . It's shocking. It's shocking. A testament to JJ Redick and his staff. Yo, there has been an APB for Deandre Ayton for years, okay? It's shocking what we're seeing from him, but pleasantly so. They got a big man that's playing like a big man."
It will be interesting to see if Ayton can maintain his numbers once LeBron James returns. However, with Redick's unique two-in-one strategy of praising and challenging DA with shirts like he wore pre-game last Saturday, it's hard to see him not playing well because it seems that all he's really needed all this time was a little push from his coach and teammates. They're doing that in L.A. and it's working wonders, at least so far.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
