Do the Los Angeles Lakers give a f*** about JJ Redick admitting he doesn’t give a f*** during his introductory press conference?
Redick was formally introduced as the next head coach of the Lakers Monday afternoon. And during the press conference, Redick informally dropped a couple f-bombs. There have been a lot of conversations surrounding Redick’s candidacy in recent weeks, prompting Claire de Lune of The Guardian to ask if there are any misconceptions or narratives he’s eager to dispel head coach of the Lakers.
“It’s a valid question, and I’ve certainly heard everything,” Redick began. “I don’t really have a great answer for your question because I really don’t give a f***. Like, honestly.
“I want to coach the Lakers. I want to coach the team. I don’t want to dispel anything. I don’t. I want to become a great coach in the NBA. And I want to win championships. And I want my players to maximize their careers. That’s all I f***ing care about.”
The f-bombs certainly caught everyone’s attention and the emphatic tone used by Redick in his answer would imply he probably does “give a f***” about everything that’s been said in recent weeks. Coaches and players cursing during press conferences is not unheard of. But doing it during an introductory press conference that’s supposed to be more celebratory was surprising. Tuesday morning on FS1’s Undisputed, Rachel Nichols said Redick was unaware that his first press conference with the Lakers was being simulcast on radio and TV.
“I don’t have a problem with him thinking it, saying it is a little bit of an interesting situation because he didn’t realize at the time that he was being simulcast on radio and TV.” – Rachel Nichols on JJ Redick dropping f-bombs pic.twitter.com/b4Mn4SSIDA
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 25, 2024
“I don’t have a problem with him thinking it, saying it is a little bit of an interesting situation because he didn’t realize at the time that he was being simulcast on radio and TV,” Nichols said of Redick’s f-bombs. “It wasn’t until the radio guys told him when he came on after the press conference, ‘Oh, by the way, did you know that we’re simulcasting this?’ And he was like, ‘Oh, I’m sorry.’ It means nothing… does it matter that young impressionable children may have been listening? I have kids, they’ve heard it before. So, I’m not worried about any of the reality. The only thing that caught my ear about that was, it’s a teeny tiny, insignificant, but tip of the iceberg example of what he doesn’t know yet.”
While Nichols admitted Redick might drop an f-bomb during a heat of the moment postgame press conference at some point during his coaching career, she “guaranteed” it won’t happen again on the big stage.
“He will never be in one of those big press conferences and swear like that again,” Nichols said. “Because he is meticulous in that kind of stuff and now, he’s learned.”
It’s almost impossible to believe Redick was unaware that his introductory press conference as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers would be airing on radio and TV. A high-profile personality, landing a high-profile job after a high-profile search and Redick didn’t think he was going to be introduced on TV? That seems unlikely.
Was it a big deal that Redick cursed during his press conference? Absolutely not. But dropping the f-bombs in response to a question about dispelling misconceptions only accentuated concerns that some people have about Redick being too aware of the criticisms on his name to coach the Lakers.
