Getty Image / Ronald Martinez
New Los Angeles Lakers head coach hasn’t even coached his first game in LA yet but he’s proven that he is already in midseason form after shutting down Lakers reporter Brad Turner who asked a question that appeared to be designed to drum up drama.
The reporter asked JJ Reddick “do you think Rui (Hachimura) could take that next step for you guys?” The first problem that Reddick points out is the reporter has not set the parameters of what the ‘next step’ means here. In 68 games last season with the Lakers he averaged 13.6 points in 26.9 minutes. Pretty good, no?
So after that question, JJ Reddick clapped back “what is the next step” to which LA Times reporter Brad Turner said “you tell me” and that didn’t sit well with JJ at all. He said “you tell me, you’re creating the narrative. You tell me. What is the next step?”
Reddick then spoke at length about how he intends to best use Rui Hachimura in a well thought out answer:
JJ Redick answered the Rui question beautifully.
Reporter: Do you think Rui could take that next step for you guys?
JJ: what is the next step?
Reporter: you tell me?
JJ: you tell me, you're creating the narrative… IDC about next step, I care about how he impacts winning. pic.twitter.com/sgr6WX5mXQ
— Devin. (@DevDock) October 3, 2024
Some people in the comments on X expressed surprise that Brad Turner would ask this question. He’s a well-respected Lakers beat reporter and it seemed odd coming from him as the perception is they wanted to create a narrative around the question. Reporters trying to bait JJ Reddick into drama this season should take note though.
He’s a media savvy guy who played 15 seasons in the NBA and was with Coach K at Duke before that. Reddick will make quick work of the media this season if they try and handle him like the NYC media does with its coaches. But only time will tell.