The new Lakers head coach, JJ Redick, recently talked in an interview with Sirius XM Radio. During the 2023–24 NBA season, he was questioned regarding his choice to omit Anthony Davis from his NBA All-Defensive team. Redick outlined the criteria that went into his selections and the distinction between ranking among the top ten defensive players and being named to the All-Defensive team.
Being a top-10 defender and making an All-Defense team are two very different things. The two are different from one another. One of the top two or three defensive players in the NBA is Anthony Davis.
“… I explained every vote I cast in this manner during the previous two years.” Of course, you also need to take into account the advanced data and the team’s defensive performance. And I had a big impact on the team’s defensive performance in both years.
Although Redick was unwavering in his assessment of Anthony Davis’s performance from the previous season, he did show Davis some respect. Even though AD was among the greatest defenders in the previous campaign, Redick believed he wasn’t among the top two defenders in his position to be selected to the All-Defensive team.
AD averaged 12.6 rebounds per game, 2.3 blocks, and 1.2 steals in addition to his stellar defensive play throughout the previous season. There was no denying Davis’s eligibility for an All-Defensive squad. Obviously, though, his new head coach felt differently.
Redick, who has a reputation for being frank and open with people, will carry this same intensity into his coaching role with the Lakers. Redick has said and done everything that is appropriate, notwithstanding some people’s concerns about his hiring.
