Lakers’ Redick and Thunder’s Daigneault Reflect on Past Collaborations and Shared Mentor Scott Brooks OKLAHOMA CITY — JJ Redick, the Lakers’ head coach, and Mark Daigneault, the Thunder’s head coach, shared a unique connection rooted in their basketball careers. Their paths crossed during Redick’s time as an ESPN analyst, where he provided insights on the Thunder’s development as a title contender. Daigneault, then a coach for the Thunder’s G League team, later reflected on how Redick’s expertise influenced his coaching approach. During a recent practice session ahead of the Lakers-Thunder second-round playoff series, Daigneault revealed he had shown clips of Redick’s defensive play to his players, a practice Redick recalled from their earlier interactions. Redick, speaking before the first game of the series, recounted how Daigneault had highlighted a specific defensive sequence from his career. “He pulled me aside afterwards and mentioned a very specific series that he was showing clips of me to a couple of guys,” Redick said. He added that his defensive reputation, often labeled as a “duck” due to his physical style, was a subject of discussion. “I think probably because of how I look, I get labeled as like a duck. But I was a duck in my first two years, and I was a duck my last three years. But in between, I was a pretty good defender.” Redick also shared a memorable moment from his playing days, describing a collision with LeBron James that left him with nine stitches and a concussion. “I showed a clip of me taking a charge on LeBron, catching his spin move and it was his left elbow that went into my eye,” he said. “But that’s the only clip I’ve ever shown them of me.#lakers #jj_redick #thunder #mark_daigneault #scott_brooks
