The new members of the Lakers got straight down to business on the first day of practice and coach JJ Redick wasn’t messing around.
New players such as Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili were treated to a hyped JJ from the get go, and Kessler loved it.
“I don’t know, but in film he had us, I was ready to go fight somebody or something I mean he’s such a good motivator,” Kessler said after the first Lakers’ practice. “He’s incredible. He’s really incredible. Having someone that’s done it for 15 years playing and now three years coaching, it’s easy to see why he’s so successful.”
Kessler added, “I can’t tell you everything he was saying, but he was motivating us. It’s gonna be a fun year. He was kinda just talking about the hero’s journey and stuff like that. The adversity, the transformation that happens and then the end goal. It was pretty hype, I’m not gonna lie. It was cool.”
After Kessler’s high praise, Redick shared the three goals he’s looking for the team to accomplish.
“We had a really productive August and September with our small group works,” Redick said after the Lakers’ first practice. “So in terms of installs and teaching for at least this portion of the preseason, it doesn’t really change anything. I have three goals for camp and it’s continue to establish our defensive principles. Continue to establish our early offense, which has been our main priority for all of September. And then lastly, just get in great shape. We’ve gotten terrific buy-in for the last several weeks and today was very additive to those three things.”