New Lakers Head Coach JJ Redick Is Facing Startling Accusations Of Racism Just Days Into The Job 

JJ Reddick (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
New Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick has seen a startling accusation levied against him just days into the job.

Redick was officially unveiled as the Lakers’ new coach this Monday. And he comes in on the back of Darvin Ham’s dismissal.  The former NBA guard insisted LeBron James, whom he started a podcast with, didn’t have a role in his appointment.

It didn’t take long for some controversy to roll in as, just a day later, a woman accused him of calling her the N-word while she was on the Duke Blue Devils’ staff.

“I’ve only been called the N-word to my face by a white man once in my life and it was on the campus of Duke University while I was doing work with the basketball team. And today he was named the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. What a world,” the woman, Halleemah Nash, shared via X/Twitter.

I’ve only been called the N word to my face by a white man once in my life and it was on the campus of Duke University while I was doing work with the basketball team. And today he was named the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. What a world.

— Halleemah Nash (@halleemah)

June 25, 2024

JJ Reddick Has Denied The Accusation

Nash noted that she believes people can change and the incident took place a long time ago, but she also claimed the new Lakers coach didn’t show any accountability during his introductory press conference.

“For context, this was years ago and Im a believer that we all have space to grow- especially from our college level maturity,” she added. “We live in a world where these exchanges happen and the intersection of race and privilege and lack of accountability all collided w/that presser.” 

For context, this was years ago and Im a believer that we all have space to grow- especially from our college level maturity. We live in a world where these exchanges happen and the intersection of race and privilege and lack of accountability all collided w/that presser.

— Halleemah Nash (@halleemah) June 25, 2024

TMZ reported having contacted JJ Redick’s camp and was told this never took place.

“We reached out to Redick’s camp for a response to the claim … and they completely shut it down. “No, it never happened,” a spokesperson tells TMZ Sports.”

Redick was the 11th overall pick by the Orlando Magic in 2006. He went on to play for the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Pelicans, and Dallas Mavericks before retiring in 2021 and transitioning to television with ESPN.