JJ Redick is reportedly trading in his headset for a clipboard as he takes over as the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
According to ESPN, Redick received a job offer from general manager Rob Pelinka on Thursday morning and has agreed to a four-year contract with the Lakers.
Redick has never coached in the NBA, but the 39-year-old played 15 seasons with six different teams from 2006-2021.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
JJ Redick watches Game 3 of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center on April 26, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
Redick, who works as an NBA commentator for ESPN and was involved in the network’s coverage of the NBA Finals, reportedly pitched Pelinka his “ability to connect with players and his basketball IQ.”
“[Pelinka] “I believe having an elite coaching staff will shorten the learning curve for those taking on a first coaching role.” ESPN reported..
Redick was mentioned as an obvious candidate for the vacant job after Darvin Ham was fired after two seasons, but he was not the first choice.
Connecticut’s Dan Hurley explains why he turned down Lakers coaching job: ‘I already had influence’
The Lakers tried to poach Connecticut Huskies head coach Dan Hurley from the college basketball world, but Hurley turned down a lucrative six-year contract from the Lakers to stay after winning consecutive national titles. Hurley later said he had already agreed to terms on a new contract with the University of Connecticut before turning down an offer sheet from Los Angeles.
“One of the worst perspectives I’ve heard is that this is a ploy on my part to improve my standing at the University of Connecticut,” the Huskies coach said during a recent appearance on “The Dan Le Batard Show with Stuggotts.”
FILE – Former Orlando Magic guard J.J. Redick, center, leaves the court after being honored by his team during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, in Orlando, Florida. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
Redick recently had a formal interview with the Lakers, and that interview was clearly all the front office needed to believe he could lead this team next season despite his lack of coaching experience.
Redick certainly could work well with any player on the team, but there’s one player in particular with whom he already has strong chemistry: LeBron James.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer and co-host of the podcast “Mind the Game,” Redick uses his on-court experiences to delve deep into the craft of basketball and offer a broad perspective on NBA play.
NBA fans have seen Redick’s basketball IQ on display on this podcast and during his ESPN broadcasts last season.
It’s unclear what veteran coaches Pelinka and the Lakers plan to bring in to assemble Redick’s first staff, but they are confident in giving him an opportunity to prove he can be successful as a first-time head coach.
JJ Redick is photographed before Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden on June 9, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Maddy Meyer/Getty Images)
Click here to get the FOX News app
Redick was a first-round draft pick by the Orlando Magic out of Duke University in the 2006 NBA Draft and averaged 12.8 points over 15 seasons. He was an excellent shooter, averaging 41.5 percent from three-point range and 44.7 percent from the field for his career.
Follow Fox News Digital X’s sports coverage,subscribe Fox News Sports Huddle Newsletter.
