ESPN star takes aim at JJ Redick, claims first-year coach acted 'childishly' before Lakers' NBA playoff exit

The Los Angeles Lakers faced scrutiny past June erstwhile the franchise decided to prosecute an inexperienced JJ Redick arsenic the franchise's adjacent caput coach.

While Redick guided the Lakers to triumph successful a crippled against the Timberwolves successful his coaching debut successful October, Los Angeles came up abbreviated against Minnesota successful the postseason. 

The Timberwolves held connected for a 103-96 triumph successful Game 5 to destruct the Lakers from playoff contention.

Several critics person questioned Redick's decision-making during the playoff series, particularly his handling of the team's rotation. But ESPN's Brian Windhorst suggested the first-year Lakers caput manager had issues regulating his emotions earlier Game 5 tipped off.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Los Angeles Lakers caput manager JJ Redick reacts to his squad losing the pb to the Minnesota Timberwolves precocious successful the 4th fourth of Game 4 of the archetypal circular of the 2025 NBA Playoffs astatine Target Center successful Minneapolis April 27, 2025. (Matt Blewett/Imagn Images)

"Reggie Miller said connected the broadcast past nighttime helium had to effort to calm him down successful the pregame gathering due to the fact that JJ was acting, frankly, childishly," Windhorst said Thursday during an quality connected ESPN's "Get Up."

Redick walked retired of a quality league up of Game 5 aft a newsman questioned him astir playing the Lakers' starters for the full 2nd fractional of Game 4.

LEBRON JAMES FACES QUESTIONS ABOUT PLAYING CAREER AFTER PLAYOFF EXIT

"Are you saying that due to the fact that I americium inexperienced and that was an inexperienced determination that I made?" a visibly agitated Redick responded earlier storming out. "You deliberation I don’t speech to my assistants astir substitutions each azygous timeout? That’s a weird assumption."

ESPN sideline newsman Brian Windhorst earlier Game 4 of the 2022 NBA Finals betwixt the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics June 10, 2022, astatine TD Garden successful Boston. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

Windhorst added that his comments were not meant to beryllium a idiosyncratic disapproval of Redick.

"I don’t mean this successful a idiosyncratic way. JJ Redick coached precise immaturely successful this series," Windhorst added. "In retrospect, JJ volition recognize that helium did not enactment the Lakers successful the champion presumption to win."

Los Angeles Lakers guardant LeBron James (23) shoots arsenic Minnesota Timberwolves defender Nickeil Alexander-Walker (9) defends during the archetypal fractional successful Game 5 of a first-round playoff bid April 30, 2025, successful Los Angeles.  (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The Lakers acquired superstar defender Luka Dončić successful a blockbuster commercialized successful February. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The five-time NBA All-Star led the Lakers with 28 points Wednesday but continued to beryllium a antiaircraft liability. The Lakers' beforehand bureau volition look respective pugnacious decisions this offseason arsenic the franchise looks to debar first-round playoff elimination for a 3rd consecutive season.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.