The Los Angeles Lakers have found their stride again early in the NBA regular season, thanks in part to head coach JJ Redick’s strategic lineup adjustments following a tough five-game road trip. Redick’s decisions seem to be paying off, with one of LeBron James’ teammates now excelling in a fresh role.
In the last two games, Redick benched D’Angelo Russell in favor of Cam Reddish. Despite playing in a new role, Reddish has embraced a more defensive style with limited ball-handling duties, and so far, he’s executing it well.
Recently, Reddish shared his perspective on the role shift. “Every team is different, every coach is different. I just go out there and do what he tells me to do. My past life, I was out there doing what I wanted to do. That doesn’t necessarily work all the time,” Reddish stated.
He also made it clear he’s committed to what’s best for the Lakers. “Be a star in my role, do what I can to help the team win,” he continued. “Whether that’s one shot, five shots, ten shots, I just try to go out there and impact the game.”
Cam Reddish #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers defends against Jared McCain #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Harry How/Getty Images
Reddish adjusts to new role
Initially, adjusting to his new responsibilities wasn’t easy for Reddish, as he’s now tasked with prioritizing defense over controlling the ball. “ I was getting the ball all the time, I didn’t know anything else. I was forced to kind of learn and expand my game,” Reddish said.
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“It doesn’t happen overnight, but little by little I started getting better at it. I feel like all my years helped me to get to this point. . .everything I’ve been through, everything I’ve dealt with, has kind of guided me to this point,” he added.
LeBron James on Reddish’s defensive impact
In the recent matchup against the 76ers, Reddish left his defensive mark on the court, finishing with three points from a three-pointer on his only shot, along with five rebounds, two assists, one steal, and a block in 28 minutes.
After the game, LeBron James praised Reddish for his defensive contributions and also gave credit to D’Angelo Russell for his energy off the bench. “DLo came in and gave us a big-time push off the bench, and Cam did a good job of trying to make it tough on PG all night, so it was a complement that worked on both sides, offensively and defensively for our ball club,” James commented.
