Charlotte Hornets interview podcaster for head coach opening

J.J. Redick has become one of the biggest voices in the NBA media landscape since he retired from a 15-year playing career in 2021. Now Redick may be ready for his next gig: a head coaching job in the NBA.

The Charlotte Hornets are interviewing Redick for their head coach opening, according to NBA insider Shams Charania. Redick has no previous coaching experience at any level.

The Hornets are casting a wide net for their coaching search. Redick is the 10th candidate the team has interviewed thus far. Charlotte has also interviewed Jordan Ott, Jerry Stackhouse, Royal Ivey, David Adelman, Charles Lee, Jordi Fernandez, Jay Larranaga, Kevin Young, and Lindsey Harding for the position, per NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski.

Redick has been hosting his successful podcast, “The Old Man and the Three.” He also recently debuted a new podcast with LeBron James called “Mind the Game.” Redick has also been working as an ESPN broadcaster, and will be part of the team calling the 2024 NBA Finals alongside Mike Breen and Doris Burke.

If hired by Charlotte as the franchise’s next head coach, Redick would not be the first person to land such a job with no previous coaching experience. The Brooklyn Nets hired Steve Nash as the franchise’s head coach in 2021 with no coaching experience after the franchise signed Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in free agency. The Golden State Warriors once hired a former broadcaster as head coach when they took a chance on Steve Kerr. Four rings later, it’s safe to say that one worked out a little better. Kerr was previously leading the Phoenix Suns’ front office before jumping into coaching.

Derek Fisher, Jason Kidd, Mark Jackson, Vinny Del Negro, Kevin McHale, and Isiah Thomas were also all hired as an NBA head coach without previous coaching experience since 2000.

Whoever the Hornets hire is going to be a huge rebuild on their hands. Charlotte finished 21-61, tied for the third-worst record in the NBA this season. The Hornets do have some nice young talent on the roster with LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Mark Williams, but injuries and inconsistency have plagued the franchise each of the last two years.

Social media had one question after the report of his interview: why would Redick want to leave his comfy broadcasting gigs to coach the Hornets?

Money talks, and so does competition. Still only 39 years old, Redick is just beginning his post-playing career, and he already has a lot of wonderful opportunities in front of him. Coaching the Hornets might be next.