Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick just did what he does best, saying something absolutely wild during a September 24 press conference with general manager Rob Pelinka. When asked about his projected starting five, Redick confidently named Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and 7-footer Walker Kessler as his locks. But then, he didn’t hold back, adding point blank that “the other two spots will not be white guys.” Wow.
Redick’s Bold Statement on the Lakers Lineup
This isn’t some quiet locker room chat, right? Redick, who is white himself and known for turning heads with his comments, just threw down a huge marker for his new team’s identity. Doncic, Reaves, and Kessler, all white players, are his confirmed starters. Doncic, by the way, is from Slovenia, and Kessler was just acquired in an offseason trade. So, Redick’s basically saying his other two starters are coming from the pool of players making up the vast majority of the NBA: African-American players, who make up at least 70% of the league.
Why Everyone’s Talking About the Lakers
Redick’s comments aren’t happening in a vacuum. There’s been a whole lot of buzz on social media already about the Lakers having a “noticeable number of white players” on their roster. Even former NBA player Olden Polynice got in on it during the offseason, talking about the Lakers’ “biggest needs” on Byron Scott’s Fast Break podcast. It seems like Redick is leaning into that conversation, or maybe even trying to get ahead of it, by making such a direct statement about his lineup strategy. You gotta give it to him, he never shies away from a mic drop moment.
It’s clear Redick wants a certain balance on the court, and he just told the entire league exactly what it looks like for his starting five. It’s going to be fascinating to see who fills those last two spots and how this shakes out as the season gets going.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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