Video of Luka Doncic having a tense moment with JJ Redick has circulated around social media and led to speculation that there is a rift between the Los Angeles Lakers coach and his star player. That is apparently not the case at all.
In an appearance on ESPN’s “NBA Today” Tuesday, reporter Dave McMenamin addressed rumors of tension between Doncic and Redick. He said there is nothing to it, and chalked up any issues to the team’s recent three-game losing streak.
“A league source said when he saw the video: LA is different. The smallest thing becomes the biggest thing,” McMenamin said. “A source close to Luka told me that him and JJ have a strong, close relationship that dates back nearly a decade, and they’re both fiercely competitive, and they push one another. A team source said: ‘Find me a star in the NBA that isn’t frustrated amidst a three-game losing streak.’ It’s much ado about nothing.”
"A source close to Luka told me that him and JJ have a strong close relationship that dates back nearly a decade and they're both fiercely competitive and they push one another. A team source said find me a star in the NBA that isn't frustrated amidst a 3 game losing streak. It's… https://t.co/ohH5ZnxhQC pic.twitter.com/4RQkPIATkd
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) March 3, 2026
Doncic and Redick appeared to have a chilly interaction during Saturday’s game against Golden State (video here). At the time, the Lakers had lost three in a row, but snapped that skid with a 129-101 victory that day.
Redick’s relationship with LeBron James has also been scrutinized at times. That is what happens when he has to manage two of the game’s biggest stars in one of the league’s largest media markets.
