JJ Redick proved his knowledge of the game of basketball, first as an NBA player and now as an ESPN analyst. Could he be the next media member to take the dive into NBA coaching?
The former NBA guard-turned-analyst is connected to the Hornets head coaching job, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Monday. The opening comes after Steve Clifford stepped down from his position on Charlotte at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Redick's rise in his post-playing career has been swift. He last played at the end of the 2020-21 season for the Mavericks, and then announced at the start of the following season that he was retiring from the NBA.
Even before officially hanging up his basketball sneakers, Redick was involved in media. Redick started a podcast on Yahoo Sports while he was playing and later founded his own media company. When he retired, he was hired by ESPN as an analyst, appearing on a number of programs, including "First Take" and as an occasional color commentator for games.
Here's what you need to know about the Redick-to-Hornets rumor.
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JJ Redick coaching rumors
Redick, 39, is being considered by the Hornets for their head coaching vacancy, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Monday. Charania reported on Wednesday that Redick could receive a second interview and that "he's a serious candidate."
This is not the first time Redick has been in the running for a head coaching gig. Last year, he was among a number of candidates to get an interview with the Raptors for their opening. Ultimately, Toronto did not go far with the former 3-and-D guard, electing instead to hire Darko Rajakovic to replace Nick Nurse.
In December 2022, Redick revealed in an interview with Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks that he was asked to join the staff of Celtics interim coach Joe Mazzulla. He explained that someone was suspended shortly before the start of training camp and that since most coaches already had a job, Boston had a need for an assistant coach on Mazzulla's squad.
But after discussions with Mazzulla and president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, Redick ultimately decided to pass on the offer.
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"Life is about timing," Redick said. "I would love to coach at some point. I don't feel like the timing is right right now."
It feels like a matter of when, not if, Redick finds himself on an NBA coaching staff. In an interview with Esquire, he said he has been told by multiple coaches throughout his playing days that he seemed likely to become a head coach at some point in his post-playing career.
At first, he brushed off the notion, thinking instead he was more suited for a role in the front office. But in the spring of 2022, he began to change his mind on the idea, as he said there was "something about being in the action" that would draw him to coaching.
I think it probably started around the time I started calling games. Because you're back. You're a part of the experience. You're a part of the game. For me, that was probably the trigger point. Then I got randomly four unsolicited, "Do you want to coach? Do you want to join the staff?" [messages] from different teams. And truthfully, I considered two of them. Not just the Celtics—sorry, I considered another one. I just didn't feel like the timing was right. Maybe the timing will never be right. And maybe the media stuff ends up being a 20-to-30-year thing. I just know that what I'm doing right now feels like the right thing.
Redick is not guaranteed to land the Charlotte role. There are a plethora of other candidates that the Hornets front office is rumored to be considering, including G League coach Jerry Stackhouse, Lakers' Jordan Ott, Rockets' Royal Ivey, Nuggets' David Adelman, Celtics' Charles Lee, Clippers' Jay Larranaga, Suns' Kevin Young and Kings G League coach Lindsey Harding.
