LeBron James, just weeks away from starting his 22nd NBA season at the age of 39, remains one of the league’s top stars and the undisputed leader of the Los Angeles Lakers. However, JJ Redick recently singled out another of the team’s players for his professionalism and reliability..
In a recent interview, Redick praised Gabe Vincent, saying: “We have a lot of these guys. But he’s one of those guys where you’re like ‘I’d love to have 10 Gabe Vincents’. He’s just easy to coach, you know what he is going to be day to day in terms of consistency.”
Now recovered from the injuries that prevented him from playing regularly during the previous season, Vincent will be key as a rotation piece for the Lakers this year. “In terms of the basketball piece, he and I spent about three and a half hours together with a couple of glasses…. In Vegas during Summer League,” Redick revealed.
On the role that the guard will have within the team, the coach explained: “The biggest thing for him is just having a really aggressive mentality. Don’t turn down shots, coming off an action, your first shot is to shoot a three. For him, specifically, creating that level of freedom and clear-mindedness is important.”
JJ Redick faces a tough challenge
Redick, appointed as the Lakers’ 29th head coach in June, faces a major challenge in his first stint as an NBA head coach. “I take that responsibility seriously,” JJ stated upon his appointment, fully aware of the expectations that come with leading a storied franchise like the Lakers.
His task won’t be easy. Redick must guide the team to a higher level of performance and attempt to return to the NBA Finals—a stage the Lakers haven’t reached since their championship run in 2020, when they defeated the Miami Heat in six games.