"One guy I thought I would never f**k with" - Former Lakers forward breaks down JJ Redick's "arrogance & confidence" as LA coach

Amid LA Lakers coach JJ Redick's strong start to his NBA coaching career, ex-Lakers forward Matt Barnes broke down his longstanding dedication to the game. Barnes also reflected on his time playing alongside Redick and how the former sharpshooter earned his respect.

Following the offseason and preseason buzz surrounding Redick's plans to revamp LA's playstyle, he has met most fans' expectations early on. Through four games, the Lakers are 3-1, with all four matchups coming against competitive veteran opponents.

Meanwhile, Redick has made noticeable changes to LA's game plan. He has run his offense through superstar center Anthony Davis while getting his squad's complementary players like Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura more involved. Meanwhile, he has emphasized movement, 3-point shooting and offensive rebounding.

On Monday's episode of "All The Smoke," Barnes, who spent three seasons with Redick on the Orlando Magic and LA Clippers, raved about his mindset. Barnes noted that Redick is rightfully confident as a coach because of his work ethic and attention to detail, which dates back to his playing days.

"JJ moves around with an arrogance and confidence because he does the work," Barnes said. "He moved that way as a player.

"... JJ would be the one guy I thought I would never f**k with. (I) played with him twice, and he's one of my closest basketball friends to this day. So, JJ is someone who comes off a certain way, but when you know him, the dude is always a consummate professional. Beautiful mind when it comes to X's and O's," he continued.

Barnes' insight into Redick's commitment aligns with Lakers players' early assessments of their new coach. Several players, including Reaves and point guard D'Angelo Russell, have praised Redick's preparation and accountability. So, LA appears to have made the correct decision to gamble on the first-time coach.

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Matt Barnes says JJ Redick is first coach to earn LeBron James-led Lakers' respect

Later in his podcast, Matt Barnes contrasted JJ Redick's coaching presence to his predecessors.

According to Barnes, Redick is the first coach to command LA's core's respect during the LeBron James era. He noted that even Frank Vogel couldn't fully do so during the franchise's 2020 NBA championship run.

"No one's been able to crack the code with the locker room that they've had," Barnes said. "Although they won a championship, it's always just been some kind of s**t after that. And I think he came in with the respect of the guys."

Redick marks James' fourth coach since he joined the Lakers in 2018. The rookie coach will attempt to maximize the soon-to-be-40-year-old superstar forward's production this season and guide LA back to title contention.

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