The Toronto Raptors have interviewed an unlikely candidate for his or her head teaching emptiness.
JJ Redick, a former NBA participant and present ESPN analyst, “was a part of a first-round of candidates to fulfill with franchise management” concerning the Raptors’ prime job, Adrian Wojnarowski reported Wednesday.
This information comes on the heels of a earlier report from Sportsnet, which famous the Raptors have “appeared into the likelihood” of the 38-year-old Redick “being head coach materials.”
Redick starred for 4 years at Duke earlier than embarking on a 15-year NBA profession that included stops with the Magic, Bucks, Clippers, Sixers, Pelicans, and Mavericks.
Redick final performed within the NBA in 2021.
He has been working as a podcaster and as an analyst at ESPN ever since.
Redick spoke to Esquire final yr about whether or not he wish to coach in the future.
“It’s humorous as a result of I had quite a lot of coaches all through my profession inform me I might coach once I was performed,” Redick stated.
“Or they’d attempt to. Rick [Carlisle] was like this in Dallas. He was like, ‘You need to coach. You’ll find it irresistible.’ I used to be there two half months, and I spent a ton of time with Rick. He was so good to me. Doc [Rivers] would all the time inform me that. I’m like, ‘Doc, there’s no f–king method I’m gonna coach.’
“After which, final spring, I simply began considering: Perhaps I do wish to coach. I all the time thought if I did one thing in basketball, it will be entrance workplace as a result of I just like the mental part of that. And I like the thought of not solely managing folks, however different folks managing me. The collaboration part of a entrance workplace.”
Redick elaborated on how teaching started to enchantment to him when he started working as a shade commentator.
“There’s one thing about being within the motion. And I believe it in all probability began across the time I began calling video games. Since you’re again. You’re part of the expertise. You’re part of the sport. For me, that was in all probability the set off level,” he stated.
Redick additionally revealed he had been focused for different assistant teaching gigs.
“Then I obtained randomly 4 unsolicited, ‘Do you wish to coach? Do you wish to be part of the workers?’ [messages] from completely different groups. And honestly, I thought of two of them. Not simply the Celtics — sorry, I thought of one other one,” Redick stated.
“I simply didn’t really feel just like the timing was proper. Perhaps the timing won’t ever be proper. And possibly the media stuff finally ends up being a 20-to-30-year factor. I simply know that what I’m doing proper now appears like the best factor.”
The Raptors fired Nick Nurse in April after 5 seasons on the helm.
Becky Hammon, who coached the Las Vegas Aces to the 2022 WNBA championship, and former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson are among the many different reported candidates for the job.
