Top 10 JJ Redick memes cracking up the internet after Dan Hurley gets linked to the Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers coaching job is one of the most coveted in sports, and former NBA star JJ Redick was one of the names linked with the job after the franchise dismissed Darvin Ham a few weeks ago. For the past few weeks, the ESPN analyst has been heralded as the man the Lakers were in talks with.

Although NBA insider Shams Charania had linked Redick to the Lakers job just a few days ago, ESPN analyst Adrian Wojnarowski revealed on Thursday that the leading candidate for the job was instead national-championship-winning UConn coach Dan Hurley.

College hoops and NBA fans were quick to crack jokes at the expense of JJ Redick after the news broke of UConn's Dan Hurley being the front-runner for the job.

Inexperience might have cost JJ Redick the Lakers job

JJ Redick retired in 2021 after 15 years in the NBA and does not have any coaching experience at the top level, which made the links to the Lakers job confusing for most fans and analysts.

He has a close relationship with Lakers star LeBron James, with whom he hosts a podcast, and that factor was thought to potentially sway things in the former Duke Blue Devil's favor.

In an appearance on the "All Facts No Brakes" podcast, former NBA coach Byron Scott was skeptical about the readiness of Redick to take on a job as big as the Lakers.

"I really, truly think that if you have a year or two on the bench, that gained experience will help you so much in your next — or getting a head coaching position somewhere else," Scott said. "But going in there cold turkey, it's a whole lot tougher than you think."

Scott, who coached the Lakers between 2014 and 2016, also revealed the various tripwires that would be in the path of a first-year coach like JJ Redick in the NBA.

"When you have to make every single decision," Scott said. "You know, it's not a suggestion anymore. As the head coach, your word is bond. Whatever you say goes, so understanding that everything kind of falls on you. Sometimes it can be overwhelming."

The move for UConn Huskies coach Dan Hurley has seemingly blindsided most industry insiders who were convinced that Redick was the man for the job.

Hurley would bring a certified winning pedigree to the Lakers, having won the last two national championships. Most importantly, he has actual coaching experience, unlike JJ Redick, which sets him apart.