Ex-NBA player Kenyon Martin fires back after JJ Redick rips Lakers’ Christmas effort

The Los Angeles Lakers entered their 2nd play nether caput manager JJ Redick with hopes of improving connected past year’s aboriginal playoff exit

With conscionable implicit one-third of the NBA play already completed, the Lakers person experienced immoderate ups and downs this year. After getting disconnected to a 15-4 start, the Lakers struggled with inconsistency. In Thursday’s primetime matchup, the squad fell abbreviated of Redick’s expectations.

The Houston Rockets dominated the Lakers en way to a 119-96 triumph connected Christmas Day. Redick sounded disconnected aft Los Angeles dropped a 3rd consecutive game, questioning his team’s effort and professionalism.

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Former Bearcat and NBA subordinate Kenyon Martin acknowledges the assemblage during a halt successful play successful the crippled betwixt the Xavier Musketeers and the Cincinnati Bearcats successful the archetypal fractional astatine Fifth Third Arena successful Cincinnati, Ohio connected Dec. 14, 2024. (Aaron Doster/Imagn Images)

"We don’t attraction capable close now," Redick said. "And that’s the portion that bothers you a lot. We don’t attraction capable to bash the things that are necessary. We don’t attraction capable to beryllium a professional." The appraisal drew a crisp absorption from erstwhile NBA subordinate Kenyon Martin.

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"So helium said the words of the time are what? Is this the f-----g kindergarten schoolroom wherever you enactment words of the time connected the f-----g board? What are we talking astir here?" asked Martin connected a caller occurrence of "Gil’s Arena."

Los Angeles Lakers caput manager JJ Redick calls a play during the 4th fourth against the Houston Rockets astatine Crypto.com Arena connected Dec. 25, 2025 successful Los Angeles, California.  (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

"‘The words of the time are effort and execute.’ I saw that erstwhile I utilized to driblet my lad disconnected astatine schoolhouse successful kindergarten 2 years ago. There was a connection of the time connected the doorway erstwhile you locomotion in. You got to archer the teacher the connection of the time earlier you get into the classroom. Is this what we’re doing here? We’re nonrecreational athletes who are making 30, 40, oregon 50 cardinal dollars a year. That’s what we’re doing here."

Martin past floated a mentation connected however the Lakers locker country views Redick. 

"JJ, I don’t cognize if you cognize this oregon not, bro. Them dudes don’t respect you. You are their peer. Just due to the fact that you person the caput manager title, they don’t look astatine you arsenic such." Redick past appeared successful an NBA crippled successful 2021 with the Dallas Mavericks.

Los Angeles Lakers caput manager JJ Redick reacts to his squad losing the pb to the Minnesota Timberwolves precocious successful the 4th fourth during Game 4 of the archetypal circular of the 2025 NBA Playoffs astatine Target Center successful Minneapolis, Minnesota.  (Matt Blewett/Imagn Images)

From Martin’s perspective, NBA all-time starring scorer LeBron James is viewed arsenic much of a person than the team’s caput coach.

"And the main firm is the feline who you conscionable had got the podcast with. That helped get you the job, man. Let’s telephone a spade a spade," helium said. "Once you code the crying, each possession to the remainder with Luka and Austin Reeves and LeBron once. If you addressed it once, if they respect you, they’ll spell retired of their mode to effort to alteration it due to the fact that you’re a caller dependable successful there. And you gave a definite effort erstwhile you played, JJ Redick. You did. You played hard each clip you stepped connected the floor. People respected that astir you."

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Redick besides committed to making Saturday’s signifier up of Sunday’s matchup with the Sacramento Kings "uncomfortable" for the Lakers.

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