JJ Redick is taking the Steve Kerr route into coaching, meets with Raptors

JJ Redick, a retired NBA player and ESPN analyst, met with the Toronto Raptors to interview for the head coach opening left vavant by Nick Nurse, according to Adrian Wojnarowski.

Redick, 38, retired in 2021 and eventually made his way to television, much like Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.

Before joining Golden State, Kerr was a broadcaster and commentator for ESPN, and was also featured as the voice of several basketball video games.

Kerr, 57, eventually replaced Mark Jackson as the head coach of the Warriors and is now a four-time NBA champion, not including his titles as a player.

Redick also has a successful podcast and matches up perfectly with Stephen A. Smith on "First Take."

JJ Redick vs. Steve Kerr

Kerr won five championships as a player, three with Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls, and two with the San Antonio Spurs.

Redick never won an NBA ring, but like Kerr, was a role player who specialized in scoring from beyond the arc.

Raptors have also been in touch with "Golden State's Kenny Atkinson, Milwaukee's Charles Lee, Phoenix's Kevin Young, San Antonio's Mitch Johnson, Sacramento's Jordi Fernandez, Memphis' Darko Rajakovic and Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon. Current Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin is also an interview candidate for the job, sources said." It's only the first round of interviews.

Redick has been a target for several teams since retiring from the league, including as an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics.