JJ Redick Reveals How LeBron James Flips Him Off and Runs His Own Plays After 3rd Straight Win

Head coach JJ Redick revealed that LeBron James overrules his play on some occasions.

JJ Redick Reveals How LeBron James Flips Him Off and Runs His Own Plays After 3rd Straight Win

JJ Redick and LeBron James (Image credits - Firstsportz)

Things have turned around for JJ Redick and the Los Angeles Lakers for now after a minor blip. After back-to-back wins over the Memphis Grizzlies, the Lakers secured a 111-103 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on Tuesday night. Both LeBron James and Luka Doncic put on a show as they combined to score 60 points, scoring 30 points apiece.

Following the loss to the Detroit Pistons, the Lakers had lost four of their previous five games have gone on a three-match winning streak since. The win propelled the Lakers to third place, overtaking the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference standings with a 23-11 record, while the Pelicans were handed their eighth consecutive defeat and have dropped to 8-30 for the season as they remain at the bottom of the standings.

After a slow start to the 2025-26 campaign, LeBron James seems to have found his top condition in his last 12 games. The four-time NBA Champion is currently averaging 21.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.7 assists. With Austin Reaves ruled out for a month due to an injury, James has seen his workload go up on the offensive end.

Considering James just turned 41 last week, it is unfair to expect James to play with energy on both ends of the floor. The Lakers have shown that their defense is an Achilles heel this season and have seen themselves struggle against younger and athletic teams, which is one of the main reasons why they are not seen as contenders this season.

This is James’ 23rd season in the NBA. A number no player has achieved in league history, and with it comes loads of experience at the highest level. The 41-year-old has always been regarded for having a very high basketball IQ. James along with Lakers head coach JJ Redick started a podcast together called Mind the Game where they discussed and analysed the details of the game. After Redick got the Lakers job, James has continued to host the podcast with Steve Nash.

After the win, Redick spoke about James sometimes overruling his plays in the press conference:

I know LeBron, I know how much he puts into this. I think it’s just recognizing game-to-game what he has. He’s Greg Maddux at the end of his career. Every night he doesn’t have his best stuff, but he has enough to win, and I’m his catcher, so I’ve got to figure out how to call the pitch. Sometimes he tells me to f-off, and he calls his own pitch, which is fine too.

Redick hinted that James has the freedom to call plays sometimes. Some may see it in a negative light, but Redick knows what James brings to the table and the experience he has gained throughout his 23-year career.

Giannis Antetokounmpo called up the final play against the Charlotte Hornets

Earlier this week, on January 2, the Milwaukee Bucks recorded a close 122-121 win over the Charlotte Hornets. Giannis Antetokounmpo put in a dominant display, recording 30 points and 10 rebounds, but was also seen drawing up the final play in the technical area when the scorers were tied 120-120.

The play ended up being the game-winner as Antetokounmpo had a wide-open dunk after Kevin Porter Jr. lobbed the ball for an alley-oop. The video of Antetokounmpo calling the play led to some criticism of the Bucks’ head coach, Doc Rivers.

With many questioning Rivers’ lack of input, the head coach did not seem upset with the play and it showed that sometimes the best players have the freedom to call shots. At the end of the day, what matters is winning and not how it was done.

LeBron James is still a top-five player

At 41, it is hard to believe that James has managed to not just be relevant but also one of the best players in the league. It is no secret that the Lakers is Doncic’s team, something even James has been open up about. The current roster is built around the Slovenian as the Lakers management prepare for life in the post-James era.

While James is not the player he once was, over the last 12 games, he has been averaging 25.6 points per game. After a slow start to the 2025-26 campaign, James has found his top condition once again.

LeBron James can play any role on Lakers
LeBron James (Image via Underdog/X)

James’ longtime friend and agent Rich Paul made an appearance on the Joe and Jada podcast and said James is still a top-five player in every position besides center.

He can’t be traded unless he wants to be traded. Even with that being said it takes two to tango in a trade. When you hear all these people say ‘oh you have to take a back seat and fit in.’ If you want to break it down, you can take all 4 positions and name your top 5 he’s in one of your top 5 in all 5 positions outside of center.

While James is a liability in defense considering his age, his offensive numbers are still very impressive. Paul’s statements may be debatable, but James has shown he can still be one of the best players in the league on his day. The question is: can he do it consistently?

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