“More information is better.” Having not coached before, JJ Redick is adopting different philosophies for his first season at the Lakers. With the absence of practical experience, the new boss has now taken up relying more on numbers and stats of the players, both young and veterans, who are his responsibility. Revealing how he is making use of load capacity stats, Redick now knows that while Bronny may not score well, he does have potential since he ran six miles in one go. However, where there needs to be a delicate balance with analytics and data, for Redick, it’s about emphasizing one, while Anthony Davis seems to be rejecting it altogether.
Engaging in a presser during the ongoing Lakers training camp, AD was asked about the ‘analytical revolution’ that has created a major mark in the NBA world. The rise of placing emphasis on stats and numbers on individual performance areas has created an impression that the players themselves expect detailed data to then find out where they could improve. When questioned on whether Davis expects numbers on load and shot percentages, he openly admitted, “I don’t know what some of that stuff means.”
“It doesn’t matter to me. What matters is that we have more points than the other team at the end of the game,” Anthony Davis clarified. “That’s all I care about. These things, they come up with for analytics, these categories, and stuff like that, it doesn’t even matter. Had no importance to me like whatsoever.”
Highlighting that these analytics don’t matter when pursuing the ultimate goal of winning, the hooper added, “Numbers are anything. You average 50, and to be in last place like, what do you got? Let’s see through. You have 50, you average 50. Get nothing for that. That makes sense.”
Analysis and detailed explanations are certainly JJ Redick’s best friend. The same was seen right after he retired from the NBA as a player, taking up an analyst gig on ESPN. Instead of focusing too much on color commentary, he provided a unique perspective and philosophy on basketball that would later be praised by Rob Pelinka. He shared this trait with LeBron James, too.
Teaming up for the ‘Mind the Game’ pod, several reviews highlighted the duo for using a ‘technical hook’, with the discussion being so detailed and analytical that only ‘advanced basketball fans’ could understand. While the same helped to provide NBA enthusiasts with an in-depth perspective of the game, applying it in the game itself is a path that Anthony Davis may not be that enthusiastic about.
However, someone in Davis’ position should certainly consider listening to Redick. After all, in his 12-year career, with 5 years spent with the Lakers, the player is yet to earn a Defensive Player of the Year award. He has received votes for the same in five different seasons, but they were never enough to hand him the accolade.
Some have attributed this to injuries, while AD has gone as far as to state, “The league doesn’t like me.” By adopting JJ Redick’s strategy, however, the player could find out where he lacks and improve upon the problems. After all, given that he is already working with the head coach to improve the team’s offensive standing, this is just another addition to the work schedule.
Anthony Davis appreciates the new role assigned to him by JJ Redick: “Our conversations will be a little more in-depth”
With LeBron James set to turn 40, the Lakers have begun drawing out a future that does not involve their lead scorer. As a result, even though the NBA All-Time Scorer is not going anywhere before the upcoming season, the plan to build the team around Anthony Davis seems to have begun. The same has been observed in light of key reports that one of JJ Redick’s key strategies is to involve AD more as ‘the hub’ and assign him a major playmaking role. This shift is something that the player welcomes with open arms.
“I’ve always been comfortable in that role,” Anthony Davis said when discussing the role of primary playmaker during the Lakers Media Day. “Every team I’ve played on, going back to New Orleans, I’ve always caught the ball in the middle of the floor, just kind of directing the offense and things like that, so that’ll be nothing new.”
Discussing how this will establish a dynamic between AD and JJ Redick, the 31-year-old Center continued, “We’re able to be on the floor, go over things, talk, and communicate about how we want things to work—what I like, what I don’t like, what he likes, what he envisions—and build around that, especially with the roster we have.”
By placing emphasis on offense, the DPOY award may once end up slipping from the player’s hands. However, if Redick and Davis can leave a memorable mark in the upcoming season, working together, they may actually go all the way and win a ring. Never say never.
Thoughts?