"Had two Ds and an I": When former Duke superstar JJ Redick spoke on Coach K's "stern talk" helping him refocus on playing basketball

LA Lakers coach JJ Redick didn’t hold back while reflecting on a rocky chapter of his college career during "The Pat McAfee Show" in November 2021.

The former Duke sharpshooter said his sophomore year was marred by off-court struggles, despite being a third-team All-American and the team’s leading scorer in a Final Four run.

Redick revealed he was 25 pounds overweight, skipping classes and racking up poor grades.

“I was about 25 pounds overweight,” he said (4:13). “I was missing class. I think that semester I had two D's and an I, which is hard to get.”

His lifestyle, marked by partying, late nights and avoiding responsibilities, came to a head when Duke tracked him down during the first week of summer school.

“They brought me into the office the first week of summer school,” Redick said. “I was not enrolled in summer school.

“I had told my parents I was finishing up that incomplete at Duke, and I had told Duke that I was back home in Roanoke finishing up the incomplete, which, in reality, I was just crashing at a buddy's apartment off campus. And I would get up every day, probably around 2 p.m.”

The intervention led to a meeting with Michael Krzyzewski, aka "Coach K," who gave him “a stern talking to.”

That summer became a turning point, as Redick embraced a strict routine of study hall, workouts, proper nutrition and discipline. Redick returned the following season as the National Player of the Year, setting the stage for a stellar 15-year NBA career.

Denver Nuggets coach praises LA Lakers coach JJ Redick

Gabe Vincent (7) talks with LA Lakers coach JJ Redick - Source: Imagn

Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone surprised many with rare praise for the LA Lakers and their new coach, JJ Redick. Known for his critical remarks about LA in recent years, Malone acknowledged the team’s transformation under Redick’s leadership before their latest matchup.

Malone said, as quoted by Lakers Nation:

“Different players, different coaches. There’s a lot of change within the Lakers… They’re a different team. JJ is coaching them and his fingerprints are all over this team.

“They’ve added another MVP candidate in Luka [Doncic] and the most amazing thing I think about that trade is just how the Lakers defense has gone almost to the top of the charts.

“They play small, they play athletic, they play a lot of versatile guys and they’re just really disruptive on that end of the floor. You have to be able to counter that.”

Malone’s comments reflect a dramatic shift for a Lakers team that struggled against Denver since early 2023, including two playoff eliminations by Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.

This season, however, the Lakers tied the season series 2-2 and have the edge for the tiebreaker.