In the mindset that led JJ Redick to coaching – and to his first win

JJ Redick had always fought.

He battled the ridicule of the ACC crowd and became one of the best – and most hated – players in college basketball history.

He fought the notion that his game wouldn't translate to the pros and that his early season struggles were no indication of who he might become. He struggled to become one of the league's best role players, then fought against time and an aging body to stay there.

When he retired from the sport, he battled complacency. He stayed busy as a podcaster, entrepreneur and broadcaster.

Lakers coach JJ Redick looks at forward LeBron James during the team's victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena.

(Eric Thayer/Associated Press)

But early last spring, Redick decided it was time to stop fighting. It was time to give in.

“At some point you just have to listen to your soul and not be afraid of the consequences of what happens next,” Redick told the Times. “You’ll just have to try, I guess.”

And so Redick made his decision. He would listen to his soul. He didn't just want to coach in the NBA.

He had to do it.

On Tuesday night, after the Lakers defeated the Timberwolves 110-103, Redick stood in the hallway, his hair still wet from the celebratory bath his players had given him in the locker room. There was no doubt. This is where he should be.

But to be fair, that would still have been the case.

“I would say every day reinforced that,” Redick said. “That’s the honest truth. From the first day of work until today, every day has been great. That’s a fact.”

Before the Lakers' opener on Tuesday, a game they won more with precision and execution than shots, Redick reiterated separating the work from the results.

“Yes, I won’t get involved in the outcome. It's a long season. We talked about the process from day one,” Redick said before the game. “And there were things that we emphasized this morning that we know we need to do to be able to compete with Minnesota. And when we do these things, we can improve, learn and grow. We would all like to win. I would like to get to 82-0. But basically I just can't get involved in wins and losses. It will drive me crazy if we lose. I'll tell you that.

“But this will be a big growth opportunity for us against this team if we can execute the things we've emphasized over the last three days.”

On Tuesday they did.

While the emphasis on three-point shooting dominated team discussions in the preseason, they managed just 5 of 30 points on opening night. But the threat of shooting, combined with organized cuts and spacing, gave the Lakers several easy baskets.

“The game plan, the plans he had on both ends of the floor, he trusts us,” Anthony Davis said. “We trust him in terms of what he teaches us, what he expects from us on both sides, and it's our job to make it happen. “I think we were very well prepared tonight.”

Davis benefited more than anyone on Tuesday, leading the Lakers in minutes, field goal attempts, points, rebounds and blocks.

“AD was phenomenal tonight,” Redick said. “I felt like he attacked the game in the right way.”

Lakers forward Anthony Davis dunks the ball and scores two of his 36 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

The new Lakers coach also made the most anticipated substitution of the year, bringing LeBron and Bronny James into the game together for a short, three-minute shift in the second quarter.

“In competition, during a deadball, I was wondering why everyone started cheering so loud, and then I realized what was going on and I thought, 'Oh, that's cool.' That’s cool,” Redick said. “We felt like, in terms of the feel of the game, we were able to play the last few minutes with those two guys together — (Austin Reaves) was on the floor, AD was on the floor, obviously LeBron was on the floor — it presented itself .” a chance for Bronny.

“He played well, he competed all preseason just to give him a chance to start in a regular season game.”

In Redick's eyes, Tuesday was about the players – Davis' dominance and Rui Hachimura's strength and Austin Reaves' hustle and D'Angelo Russell's timely playmaking. And not about him.

He said that before the game.

“I think whatever I imagined in my previous life has disappeared. This is who I am now. I am a trainer. That's why I don't feel like tonight is about me at all. It’s about our team,” he said.

But as his normally styled hair began to dry out late Tuesday night, Redick remembered his identity changing. It was before his final season was even over, before the Lakers had a vacancy, before his work as a broadcaster was finished. You know his conversations with his performance coach were all focused on one thing.

“At every meeting we talked about it,” Redick told the Times. “At that point I just said, 'This is what I should do now.' It's me.'”

His soul spoke to him. And it didn't take a win Tuesday for Redick to be glad he decided to listen.

But it certainly didn't hurt either.