JJ Redick has been the driver behind the Los Angeles Lakers’ dazzling displays this season.

From the outside at least, there was skepticisms about the Los Angeles Lakers decision to hire the former NBA star on a multi-year deal, who had no experience in basketball coaching, following Darvin Ham’s dismissal.

During the start of the 2024-25 campaign, JJ Redick encountered a few early challenges, and some feared his spell would end in the same way as his recent predecessors, in the midst of the rough stretch they had back in December.

Now in late February, JJ Redick has turned it around. Under his guidance, LA currently sits at the No. 5 spot in the West (35-21) and is just two games away from the second seed.

Jay Williams believes JJ Redick should be in the Coach of the Year discussion

For how the Lakers are playing under his watch, Redick has defied his doubters. And now brighter possibilities await. In addition to LeBron James and Austin Reaves, he now has Luka Doncic at his side.

In the wake of the purple and gold’s stellar play thus far, Jay Williams believes that Redick should at least be brought up in the NBA Coach of the Year discussion this season.

“He’s in the conversation for Coach of the Year in the NBA,” he said on ESPN’s ‘Get Up’ segment.

“I think he’s done an incredible job getting everybody to buy into different roles. Also, the way he’s been utilizing Austin Reaves as a scoring punch.

“I mean Austin Reaves is having a, you can say, comparable year to that of Ja Morant scoring-wise. And I think it’s those schemes and it’s those strategies in particular with Reaves, the way he’s been utilizing Rui [Hachimura].

“And defensively, even LeBron James at this older stage of his career wherein he’s playing like a young player. The way he’s been able to carry that amount of load on the interior.”

Austin Reaves is averaging a career high 19.2 points per game. It’s narrowly under Ja Morant’s 20.8 ppg.

Plenty of key competitors await Redick for the 2024-25 COTY

Redick certainly deserves plenty of love and recognition for the Coach of the Year honors. But as it is, he has key competitors in securing the award.

Arguably the best candidate for the trophy, Kenny Atkinson brought the Cleveland Cavaliers to the next level this year. Taking over for his first year as the team’s head coach, the Cavs sit atop the standings with a league-leading 48 wins.

J.B. Bickerstaff is another name that is likely in the discussion. The 45-year-old mentor ushered the Detroit Pistons after years of mediocrity and being the NBA’s laughingstock. They are now the sixth seed of the East with 33-26 and in a strong position to qualify for the Playoffs for the first time since 2019.

But regardless of who is viewed as the number one, Redick deserves his flowers for managing all of the pressure and burden of responsibility in spearheading the Lakers, and has clearly proved his point.