The Los Angeles Lakers are having an impressive season under rookie head coach JJ Redick, currently sitting fourth in the Western Conference with a record of 36-21. In comparison to the previous two seasons under Darvin Ham, where the Lakers finished with records of 30-27 and 26-31, the team is now in a strong position to avoid the play-in tournament and aim for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Redick, making a case for Coach of the Year, has larger goals in mind, as only three rookie head coaches in the 21st century have led their teams to a championship.

Despite Redick’s successful start, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss previously expressed concerns about hiring a first-time head coach. “I was worried about hiring a rookie coach,” Buss said in an interview with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “This team is so important to this community, and to bring in a rookie coach with no prior experience was a big leap. But I knew Redick and [Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka] would work well together, and I love watching their progress.”

Though Buss had initial doubts about Redick, she now acknowledges how much she appreciates the progress he and Pelinka have made this season. With 25 regular-season games left, Redick and the Lakers are looking to continue their rise in the Western Conference standings.