If you were hoping that JJ Redick and LeBron James’ Mind the Game podcast would continue now that the former is the Los Angeles Lakers’ next head coach, that might be wishful thinking at this point.
Redick has yet to formally be introduced as the 27th head coach in franchise history, but when he is, the now-former NBA on ESPN analyst will almost undoubtedly be asked about the future of his podcast with the 39-year-old James.
And Redick’s involvement in media ventures beyond Mind the Game suggests he might not abandon media entirely. He founded ThreeFourTwo Productions and co-hosts The Old Man and the Three podcast. And it wouldn’t be unprecedented, considering Doug Gottlieb’s attempt to balance coaching with media work at The University of Wisconsin–Green Bay.
However, continuing the podcast with James appears more unlikely than not.
The future of Redick’s podcast with James was broached by Dan Patrick, who implored that question upon Dan Woike, who covers the Lakers for the Los Angeles Times.
How much of a role did LeBron and JJ’s podcast together play in the #Lakers hiring him?
“If he doesn’t have the podcast with LeBron I think the Lakers would have more questions about his ability to coach LeBron.” –@DanWoikeSports pic.twitter.com/zJEGDsGrpI
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) June 21, 2024
“I can’t imagine it’s gonna continue,” Woike told Patrick. “Sad, right? We might get a season finale episode. Who knows what’s going to happen? I think, though, that, knowing JJ a little bit, he is interested in a lot of things. This is a guy who is interested in broadcasting. He’s interested in wine. He’s interested in golf. He’s interested in very fancy suits.
“He’s gonna have to adjust. He’s gonna have to learn how to be interested in quarter zips, like all the rest of these guys in the NBA on the sidelines now. He’s gonna have to learn how to focus on that energy. And I think that’s what the Lakers think they’re getting, right? They’re not hiring a podcaster. I think they view it as they are hiring somebody who is a bright basketball mind, who is serious about this…
“I reported this today, you know, LeBron and JJ, obviously, have a good relationship. You can see it on camera. It’s hard to fake that type of stuff. They’ve got a good rapport. Their rapport before the podcast didn’t really exist. Like, this is still a relatively new relationship…They didn’t really hang out ever before this. I mean, they were competitors in the NBA. It’s an anomaly, but even though they’re around the same age, LeBron had been in the league for four years the first time a rookie, JJ Redick, played against LeBron James…
“But I think their relationship, to me, is it’s critical to what’s going on. But there’s an expiration date to it. I just don’t think they can really continue the show. It just seems like an unnecessary distraction. They’re paying him to coach; they’re not paying him to the podcast.”
Woike also pointed out that Redick’s continued involvement with his successful podcast empire is an interesting side note. It will be fascinating to see how much he delegates within those ventures and how they fare without his daily presence. After all, these podcasts have been a significant source of success for Redick.
