JJ Redick: Golf Is Bonding the Lakers This Season

As the Los Angeles Lakers surge toward the 2026 NBA playoffs, head coach JJ Redick has pulled back the curtain on an unlikely team-building secret: golf. In a candid postgame media session on March 30, 2026, Redick revealed that fairways and putting greens have become as important to the Lakers' chemistry as film sessions and practice drills. With the team fresh off a nine-game winning streak — their longest since the 2019–2020 championship season — the timing of this revelation has sparked widespread conversation about what's really driving Los Angeles' late-season surge.

Why Golf Has Become the Lakers' Secret Weapon

In a city as sprawling and disconnected as Los Angeles, building genuine camaraderie between NBA players is harder than it sounds. Redick acknowledged as much when speaking to reporters, noting that his players are scattered across neighborhoods like Manhattan Beach, Calabasas, and the Westside — sometimes separated by 45 minutes of freeway traffic. That geographic spread makes spontaneous hangouts rare and meaningful team time even more valuable.

Enter golf. According to Lakers Nation, Redick specifically praised the sport for offering players four uninterrupted hours together in a low-pressure, off-facility setting. Unlike a structured shootaround or a mandatory team dinner, a round of golf is relaxed, competitive in a friendly way, and long enough for real conversations to happen. Redick described it as "great for team cohesion" — and the on-court results appear to back that up.

Which Lakers Players Have Taken Up Golf This Season

Perhaps the most surprising detail from Redick's comments is just how many players are new to the sport. According to Total Pro Sports, between three and five Lakers players picked up golf for the very first time this season. That list includes some notable names:

• Bronny James — LeBron's son and teammate, now navigating his NBA career while learning to navigate a links course
• Luka Doncic — The superstar guard, in his first season with the Lakers after his blockbuster trade, took to the sport as part of settling into his new team environment
• LeBron James — One of the greatest players in NBA history apparently needed no introduction to team bonding, but golf added a new dimension
• Dalton Knecht — The young wing has been a key contributor off the bench this season
• Jaxson Hayes — The center has become a key rotation player in Redick's system

Austin Reaves, one of the Lakers' most popular players and a vocal leader in the locker room, also acknowledged the growing golf culture within the team. The sport has organically spread through the roster, with veterans and newcomers alike buying into the trend.

For players new to golf, getting started with the right equipment makes a huge difference. Beginners often find success with a complete golf club set for beginners, which typically includes all the essential clubs in a lightweight bag. A reliable golf rangefinder can also help newcomers learn course management quickly.

The Chemistry Connection: How Off-Court Bonding Translates to On-Court Success

Sports psychology has long supported what Redick is observing firsthand. Teams that build trust and rapport outside the competitive environment tend to communicate better under pressure, sacrifice individual statistics for team outcomes, and execute late-game situations with greater composure. The Lakers' nine-game winning streak — their best run in six years — is a compelling data point in favor of that theory.

As MSN Sports reports, Redick has been refreshingly blunt about crediting off-court culture as a key factor flying under the radar in the Lakers' success. While analysts focus on Luka Doncic's shot creation or LeBron James's playmaking, Redick is pointing at something less quantifiable but equally important — the bonds formed over a four-hour walk in the California sun.

This is Redick's second year as head coach, and the contrast with his first season is notable. He has spoken openly about learning the rhythms of an NBA roster and finding ways to unite players who come from vastly different backgrounds, countries, and stages of their careers. Golf, it turns out, has been one of his most effective tools.

Luka Doncic's Suspension and What It Means for the Lakers

The team-chemistry story has arrived alongside a significant on-court challenge. In March 2026, Luka Doncic picked up his 16th technical foul of the season against the Brooklyn Nets, automatically triggering a one-game suspension. Doncic will miss the upcoming game against the Washington Wizards — a setback the Lakers would obviously prefer to avoid as they jockey for playoff positioning.

Redick addressed the suspension directly, as reported by MSN Sports, saying that Doncic was frustrated by the league's decision. That frustration is understandable — technical fouls are often contentious calls, and accumulating 16 over a season speaks to the intensity Doncic brings to every game. However, Redick's tone suggested the team is rallying around their star rather than dwelling on the adversity.

Ironically, the golf outings may be exactly what helps the team stay cohesive through Doncic's absence. When a roster has invested in genuine relationships, it can absorb a one-game absence from its best player more effectively than a group of strangers simply executing a game plan.

JJ Redick's Coaching Philosophy: Culture Over X's and O's

Since taking over as head coach, Redick has consistently emphasized culture and environment as the foundation of winning basketball. As a player, he was known for his meticulous preparation and high basketball IQ — qualities he has carried into the coaching role. But his willingness to embrace unconventional team-building strategies like golf outings shows a more human, emotionally intelligent dimension to his coaching style.

According to MSN Sports, Redick has been deliberate about creating space for players to connect as people, not just teammates. The Lakers' roster, which includes a living legend in LeBron James, a global superstar in Doncic, and a wave of young talent, could easily fracture under the weight of competing egos and expectations. Instead, they appear to be genuinely enjoying each other's company — on and off the course.

For coaches and team leaders looking to replicate similar bonding activities, organizing group golf days is made easier with tools like a golf cart bag for convenient gear transport, or gifting new players a quality set of golf gloves to help them get started comfortably.

Lakers' Playoff Outlook and Why Chemistry Matters Now More Than Ever

With the 2026 NBA playoffs approaching, the Lakers find themselves in a strong position after their nine-game winning streak — the franchise's best run since winning the title in the COVID bubble. Sustaining that momentum through the postseason will require exactly the kind of trust and cohesion that Redick is cultivating.

Playoff basketball is a different animal. The margins shrink, the schemes tighten, and the pressure intensifies with every elimination game. Teams that know each other deeply — who can read body language, who picks each other up after mistakes, who holds each other accountable without damaging egos — tend to outperform their talent level when it matters most. The 2025–26 Lakers appear to be building precisely that kind of group.

The golf-bonding narrative is also a reminder that winning in the NBA isn't just about roster construction and tactical adjustments. It's about the invisible glue that holds a group of competitive, high-earning athletes together through a grueling 82-game season plus playoffs. Sometimes that glue is found on a golf course in the hills above Los Angeles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did JJ Redick say about golf and the Lakers?

Speaking to media on March 30, 2026, Redick revealed that golf has become a key team-bonding activity for the Lakers. He noted that between three and five players took up golf for the first time this season, and credited the sport with helping players build genuine connections in a low-pressure, off-facility setting. He emphasized that Los Angeles's geographic spread makes off-court bonding especially challenging, making golf's four-hour shared experience particularly valuable.

Which Lakers players are new to golf?

According to Redick, the players who picked up golf for the first time this season include Bronny James, Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Dalton Knecht, and Jaxson Hayes. Austin Reaves has also been a vocal proponent of the team's growing golf culture.

Why is Luka Doncic suspended?

Doncic received his 16th technical foul of the season during a game against the Brooklyn Nets in March 2026. Under NBA rules, a player's 16th technical foul triggers an automatic one-game suspension. Doncic will miss the Lakers' upcoming game against the Washington Wizards as a result. Redick noted that Doncic was frustrated by the suspension.

How long was the Lakers' winning streak?

The Lakers recently completed a nine-game winning streak, which ended on March 29, 2026. It was their longest winning streak since the 2019–2020 championship season, when the team won the NBA title in the Orlando bubble.

Is JJ Redick in his first year as Lakers head coach?

No — the 2025–26 NBA season is Redick's second year as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. He transitioned directly from a career as an NBA analyst and commentator into the head coaching role, and the team has posted back-to-back strong regular seasons under his leadership.

Conclusion

JJ Redick's golf revelation is more than a feel-good sidebar to the Lakers' winning streak — it's a window into how he is building a championship-caliber culture in one of the NBA's most complicated markets. By getting players like Bronny James, Luka Doncic, and Jaxson Hayes out on the course for the first time, Redick has created a shared experience that transcends basketball and fosters the kind of trust that shows up when games are on the line. As the Lakers push toward the 2026 playoffs, don't be surprised if the team's chemistry — forged in part on fairways across Los Angeles — proves to be their most underrated competitive advantage.