JJ Redick made Los Angeles Lakers history in Tuesday’s 127-113 home victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers by securing his second straight 50-win season to begin his coaching career.
While some hailed Redick for joining the company of Lakers coaching greats like Pat Riley and Phil Jackson, NBA analyst Colin Cowherd had a drastically different take on his accomplishment.
Colin Cowherd Questions JJ Redick’s Importance to Lakers, Credits Luka Dončić’s Greatness
When Redick took over for LA in the 2024 offseason, he stepped into a win-now situation with veteran stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The franchise’s stunning 2025 trade deadline swap of Davis for Luka Dončić further extended the Lakers’ title contention window, gifting the then-coaching novice a long-term franchise player.
Though Redick has been blessed with talent over his first two coaching campaigns, he has been tasked with navigating defensive concerns and a sometimes-stagnant offense earlier this season while dealing with the unrelenting spotlight of the league’s premier market.
Redick has responded admirably, guiding LA to 16 wins in its last 18 outings to clinch another 50-win season and playoff spot behind a rejuvenated defensive effort and Dončić’s dominance. In doing so, the 41-year-old became the first Lakers coach since Jackson in 2011 to achieve consecutive 50-win campaigns.
Still, Cowherd wasn’t too impressed by Redick’s feat, instead shifting the narrative to Dončić’s individual greatness over the former’s coaching impact. The analyst also made the case for coaching in general being “overrated” in the NBA.
“I watched JJ Redick, he was a podcast host a year and a half ago,” Cowherd began on Wednesday’s edition of “The Herd with Colin Cowherd.”
“He walks into the Lakers, same roster. … First year a little bumpy. This year, they’re setting records, their efficiency’s through the roof, they’re the best clutch team in the league. LeBron’s getting older, Austin Reaves didn’t suddenly become Ant Edwards, Luka’s good; he’s always been good.
“… Do we overvalue [coaching]? How come Steve Kerr isn’t winning anymore? How come [Erik] Spoelstra’s not winning titles? They don’t have the guys. Redick’s proving that it’s a players’ league, it always has been, and coaching is overrated in the NBA.”
Colin Cowherd argues JJ Redick’s impact is “overrated” after Lakers secure back-to-back 50-win seasons. pic.twitter.com/8gKFi1QMSs
— StatHunter (@stat_hunter) April 2, 2026
Cowherd’s guest, Nick Wright, an ardent Lakers supporter, somewhat pushed back, noting that “it’s more often that a coach’s weaknesses kneecap a team than his strengths elevate a team in the NBA.”
Wright added that Redick is still relatively unproven aside from his knack for “the little stuff” like “out-of-timeout plays,” before agreeing that Dončić is “the biggest reason that the Lakers look awesome.”
The six-time All-Star just capped off a historic March, tallying a franchise record 600 points behind a staggering 37.5 points per game average across 16 contests.
If Dončić can maintain his offensive uptick heading into the playoffs and spearhead a deep run, LA’s fan base likely won’t be too concerned about how much credit Redick is getting for steering the ship.
