Austin Reaves discloses coach JJ Redick’s shadow phobia on the golf course
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves said head coach JJ Redick becomes unsettled whenever his shadow creeps into view during a golf swing, a detail Reaves shared during a recent appearance on Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take” podcast.
“If the sun is behind him and his shadow lands over the ball, just mention it and his brain starts spinning,” Reaves explained. He added that Redick once told him the issue was resolved, only to struggle again during a round at Bel-Air Country Club. “He actually hit a good shot, but the next day he said, ‘No, it’s still there.’”
The 26-year-old guard said the former NBA sharpshooter-turned-coach “overthinks” when he notices the shadow, disrupting his rhythm on the course. Reaves admitted Redick will “hate me for saying this” but felt the anecdote captured the coach’s competitive nature.
Reaves also compared Redick’s style in the locker room to the coach’s cameo in an old State Farm commercial, where Redick frantically diagrams plays while surrounded by notes and empty coffee cups. “That’s exactly how he coaches,” Reaves said. “He’s got a marker, he’s writing on the board, he’s screaming, and he’s had like six cups of coffee.”
The guard emphasized that he appreciates Redick’s energy and wants to “go to war” with him, even if the revelation could lead to extra conditioning drills once training camp begins.
Reaves signed a four-year contract to remain with the Lakers during the offseason, maintaining a partnership that now extends from the hardwood to the fairways—even if a well-placed shadow still rattles his coach.
Source: Lakers Nation
