Shaquille O'Neal Demands Lakers Fans Stop Calling JJ Redick The Next Pat Riley

With weeks to go before the new season, the Los Angeles Lakers are feeling pretty good about their latest coaching hire. But for franchise legend Shaquille O'Neal , there is a feeling that the fans have set expectations too high for JJ after drawing comparisons to iconic former Lakers coach, Pat Riley.

“No, stop it,” O’Neal said on the Pat McAfee show. “Don’t even — no, stop it. Stop — stop it. First of all, J.J. is a nice guy. Pat Riley is the man. So, imagine you come in and f—–‘ J.J. Redick starts yellin’ at you. It’s gon’ be a f—–‘ fight in there. Players ain’t goin’ for all that yellin’ and all that screamin’ and all that extra runnin’ — next Pat Riley my a–.”

Shaquille O'Neal played under some legendary coaches during his career, including Phil Jackson, Stan Van Gundy, and Pat Riley himself. Shaq thrived under those coaches because there was a mutual level of respect involved. They had the experience, the power, and the hardware to prove that they knew what they were talking about.

When it comes to JJ Redick, the same cannot be said. According to O'Neal he couldn't have even played for coach JJ given his lack of experience and his history as a role-player during his playing days. Unlike Riley (4x champion) and Jackson (11x champion), Redick is young enough to still be in the league at 40 years old and he was around so recently that people he battled against are still actively in the league.

You can't blame Redick for taking the job and he will have a chance to prove himself over the next few seasons, but many fans and experts have doubts that he was the right choice to lead their team.

The initial hiring process for the Lakers goes back to the start of the summer when they fired Darvin Ham. After another disappointing season, the Lakers knew they needed a new voice in the locker room and it had to be someone who could stick around for the long haul.

At first, the Lakers tried to recruit UConn coach Dan Hurley to take over but they had to look elsewhere after he spurned their offer and left them hanging at the last minute . Eventually, they settled on JJ Redick. The belief is that Redick's superior basketball knowledge will make the most of their talent and that his experience as a successful NBA athlete will earn him the respect of his players.

It's no secret that JJ's friendship with LeBron also helped land him the role, as did his gig as co-host on the 'Mind the Game' podcast. In their minds, Redick's extensive understanding of the sport will help push the Lakers to be more competitive for the 2024-25 season. His staff of experienced and top-level assistant coaches should help limit the mistakes.

Of course, only time will tell how the Redick hire pans out but it's important for the fans to manage their expectations. No matter how successful he is in his first year, O'Neal will not tolerate comparisons to Pat Riley and it's probably not something that Redick himself would support either. Patience is key for the Lakers' future and giving JJ the room and the time to find his comfort zone is the only way that this will work.

Related: Jeanie Buss On Why Lakers Hired JJ Redick: "He's Got A Vision"

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