The Los Angeles Lakers are ready to coach their way back to prominence. The storied franchise just announced their revised coaching staff for the 2024-25 season under new head coach JJ Redick who has a lot of expectations depending on who you ask. Redick, never coached a day in his life in the NBA played 15 seasons in the league as a reliable sharp shooter with solid numbers. ICYMI, he was appointed as the Lakers’ head coach earlier this year. Outside of his outside shot, he is known to have a pretty high basketball IQ but that will be put to the test as he takes on the challenges of becoming a coach on a team that has it’s hopes riding on his back, LeBron and Davis, to put it lightly.
Get this, coming on Redick’s team are six assistant coaches, because they fired all of Darvin Ham’s team, including veterans Nate McMillan and Scott Brooks.
Here’s the new staff:
Nate McMillan, Assistant coach:
Nate McMillan brings over two decades of coaching experience to the Lakers. He has previously served as the head coach for the Seattle SuperSonics, Portland Trail Blazers, Indiana Pacers, and most recently, the Atlanta Hawks from 2021-23. McMillan’s extensive experience and his background as a former player transitioning to a coach will be invaluable in supporting Redick as he adjusts to his new role.
Scott Brooks, Assistant coach:
Scott Brooks is another veteran presence on the Lakers’ coaching staff. Brooks had a successful tenure as the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2008-15, leading the team to the NBA Finals in 2012. He most recently served as an assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers. Brooks’ wealth of knowledge and experience will be crucial for the Lakers’ coaching team.
Bob Beyer, Assistant coach:
Bob Beyer has a long coaching career that began at the collegiate level in 1983. Though he has never been an NBA head coach, Beyer has been an assistant coach in the league for over two decades, working with eight different franchises. His extensive experience will provide another layer of support for Redick.
Greg St. Jean, Assistant coach:
Greg St. Jean was part of the Lakers’ player development staff when the team won the championship in the bubble in 2020 under Frank Vogel. His familiarity with the organization and his experience working with key players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis make his return a strategic move for the Lakers.
Lindsey Harding, Assistant coach:
Lindsey Harding, who starred at Duke alongside Redick in the mid-2000s, joins the Lakers after a successful career in the WNBA and a subsequent rise through the coaching ranks. Harding was named G League Coach of the Year last season for her work with the Stockton Kings. Her hiring marks a significant milestone as she becomes the first female coach in Lakers history.
Beau Levesque, Assistant coach:
Beau Levesque, after a brief playing career overseas, transitioned into coaching and was most recently the player development coordinator for the Los Angeles Clippers. Redick has emphasized the importance of player development, and Levesque’s role will be central to that focus.
Good luck to these new coaches, because as we know what lies ahead in the NBA’s Western Conference … they’re going to need it.