The Charlotte Hornets are planning on interviewing JJ Redick for their head coaching vacancy, according to Shams Charania. Redick has made the successful shift from longtime player to media personality, but now is looking to get into the coaching game.
The Charlotte Hornets are interviewing JJ Redick for their head coaching job, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The 15-year NBA veteran and former Duke star has shown an interest in making a coaching jump in recent years.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 22, 2024
Redick has been successful in appealing to basketball fans who want more nuanced analysis instead of the usual back-and-forth yelling that happens on most sports talk shows nowadays. It does help that Redick was a polarizing figure during his Duke and NBA days, which helps him draw fans in. Currently, he’s serving as a commentator for ESPN while also partnering with Uninterrupted and LeBron James for a podcast.
It’s interesting for the Hornets to be doing this when there are more established coaches who are available, like Terry Stotts and Mike Budenholzer. Redick might believe he is ready to be a head coach but he hasn’t necessarily gone through the grind of being an assistant and working his way up. There’s a big jump in investment when it comes to analyzing the game versus coaching it, and it’s not an easy switch to make without experiencing it. I could see Redick potentially getting an assistant gig at some point if he’s serious about coaching but the Hornets probably won’t end up hiring him.