JJ Redick made a blunt promise about the Lakers’ future lineup during a Sept. 24 press conference with general manager Rob Pelinka. Asked about a projected starting five, Redick said he’s confident about three spots — Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and 7-footer Walker Kessler — who the Lakers acquired in an offseason trade.
Then he added: “The other two spots will not be white guys.”
Doncic, Reaves and Kessler are white, with Doncic coming from Slovenia. Redick is also white. At least 70% of the NBA’s players are African-American.
Polynice’s Take on the Wings
“Some Black guys,” Polynice said with a smile. “All I know is this, no one is going to talk about the elephant in the room. Why they trying to go back to being the Minneapolis Lakers?”
Scott won three NBA championships with the Lakers.
“I can’t wait to see those dudes on the wings,” Polynice said. “I can’t wait to see them on the wing in a five-out, bro.”
The Minneapolis Lakers won five NBA championships in the late 1940s and early 1950s with George Mikan, a white big man, as their star player. The NBA didn’t have an African-American player until 1950, when Earl Lloyd of the Washington Capitols joined the league.
What Redick Actually Said
Redick’s remark was part of a larger exchange about the Lakers’ offseason moves. He named Doncic, Reaves and Kessler as the three starters he was sure of.
The fourth and fifth spots were left open. Redick’s description of those two positions — “will not be white guys” — was the line that stuck.
Redick is white. So are Doncic, Reaves and Kessler. That makes the comment particularly pointed, since Redick was himself describing a lineup that excluded people who look like him.
The History Behind the Comment
Polynice’s question about the “elephant in the room” references the team’s past. The Minneapolis Lakers were dominant, but their success came from a roster led by a white star player.
Earl Lloyd’s arrival in 1950 changed the league forever.
Reading Between the Lines
Redick’s comment could be read in several ways. It might be a joke. It might be a statement.
Either reading lands awkwardly. The NBA is majority African-American. The Lakers’ own roster is largely white. And Redick himself is white.
The comment could be interpreted as a warning to the front office. Or it could simply be Redick’s way of saying he expects the Lakers to add players who fit a particular profile.
The Question Hanging Over the Team
Redick’s comment is one more data point in the Lakers’ search for stability. It is a promise about the shape of the team to come.
Whether that promise holds depends on who the Lakers actually sign. Redick named three starters he was sure of. The other two remain unknown.
What Comes Next
The Lakers have a plan. Redick laid out the first three pieces of it publicly. The last two pieces are still to be revealed.
The team has time to find those players. The season is months away. The front office will have to decide whether to follow Redick’s blueprint or break from it.
Redick’s comment was a bold one. It was also a specific one. The Lakers will have to live up to it, or explain why they did not.
The Bottom Line
Redick’s comment was jarring. It was direct. And it was about race in a sport where that is rarely discussed openly.
The comment raised questions about intent. Was it a joke? A statement? A warning? A promise?
Those questions will likely remain unanswered until the Lakers actually step onto the court next season. Until then, Redick’s words stand as a marker of where the team is heading — and of the history it is trying to leave behind.
- Redick named Doncic, Reaves and Kessler as the three starters he was sure of.
- The fourth and fifth spots will not be white guys, according to Redick.
- Polynice referenced the Minneapolis Lakers on Byron Scott’s podcast.
- Earl Lloyd became the NBA’s first African-American player in 1950.
- The Lakers’ offseason roster moves were the subject of debate on social media.
See the video the story is built around at Yahoo Sports.
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