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The Los Angeles Lakers entered their second season under head coach JJ Redick with hopes of improving on last year’s early playoff exit
With just over a third of the NBA season already completed, the Lakers have seen some ups and downs this year. After getting off to a 15-4 start, the Lakers struggled with inconsistency. In Thursday’s primetime game, the team did not live up to Redick’s expectations.
The Houston Rockets dominated the Lakers en route to a 119-96 victory on Christmas Day. Redick spoke out after Los Angeles dropped a third straight game, questioning his team’s effort and professionalism.
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Former Bearcat and NBA player Kenyon Martin acknowledges the crowd during a stoppage in the first half of the game between the Xavier Musketeers and the Cincinnati Bearcats at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio on December 14, 2024. (Aaron Doster/Imagn Images)
“We don’t care enough right now,” Redick said. “And that’s the part that bothers you a lot. We don’t care enough to do the things that are necessary. We don’t care enough to be professional.” The assessment drew a sharp reaction from former NBA player Kenyon Martin.
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“So he said the word of the day is what? Is that the f—–g kindergarten classroom where you put the word of the day on the f—–g board? What are we talking about here?” Martin asked in a recent episode of “Gils Arena.”
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick calls a play in the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena on December 25, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
“‘Today’s word is effort and execution.’ I saw this when I used to drop my son off at kindergarten two years ago. There was a word of the day on the door when you entered. You must tell the teacher the word of the day before entering the classroom. Is that what we’re doing here? We are professional athletes who make $30, $40, $50 million a year. That’s what we do here.”
Martin then floated a theory about how the Lakers locker room views Redick.
“JJ, I don’t know if you know it or not, bro. Those guys don’t respect you. You’re their peer. Just because you have the head coach title, they don’t look at you as such.” Redick last appeared in an NBA game in 2021 with the Dallas Mavericks.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick reacts to his team losing the lead to the Minnesota Timberwolves late in the fourth quarter during Game 4 of the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Matt Blewett/Imagn Images)
From Martin’s perspective, NBA leading scorer LeBron James is considered more of a leader than the team’s head coach.
“And the main company is the guy you just got the podcast with. That helped get you the job, man. Let’s call a spade a spade,” he said. “Once you address the cry, every possession will for the rest with Luka and Austin Reeves and LeBron once. If you addressed it once, if they respect you, they’ll go out of their way to try to change it because you’re a new voice in there. And you gave some effort when you played, JJ Redick. You did. You played hard every time you stepped on the floor about you.”
Redick also committed to making Saturday’s practice ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Sacramento Kings “uncomfortable” for the Lakers.
