Chemistry can come from anyplace , and for the Los Angeles Lakers, it’s coming from the golf course. Head coach JJ Redick lately revealed {that a} stunning variety of gamers have taken up golf over the previous yr, turning it right into a key a part of how the workforce connects away from the courtroom.
“It’s humorous trigger once I first bought within the NBA, there have been rather a lot guys that golfed and no one golfed for a very long time. And I feel submit bubble, guys beginning getting again into it and it turned extra frequent,” Redick stated through Arash Markazi of The Sporting Tribune. “I feel for our workforce, now we have three to 5 guys, no less than three, I feel it’s 5 guys that this time final yr by no means performed golf earlier than. Bronny [James], Luka [Doncic], LeBron [James], Dalton [Knecht], I feel Jaxson [Hayes] began to work on his recreation. It’s workforce bonding factor. For our workforce and L.A., I talked about this in a press convention lately, it’s actually onerous in L.A., I performed right here and I do know it, it’s actually onerous in L.A. to bond. You reside in Manhattan Seashore, you reside in Calabasas, you reside in Westside, no matter. You’re hours typically away out of your teammates, discovering tee instances, being with one another for 4 hours the place you’ll be able to shoot the proverbial s-h-i, no matter and never should be in a excessive strain second or be on a workforce bus and be away from the ability, I feel it’s nice.”
I requested JJ Redick how golf has helped the Lakers come collectively this season. pic.twitter.com/1rxEBS0bq9
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) March 29, 2026
That downtime has translated into one thing significant on the ground.
The Lakers are at the moment driving one among their finest stretches in recent times, placing collectively a nine-game successful streak, their longest because the 2019–20 championship season. The improved rhythm has been noticeable on each ends, with higher ball motion, communication, and defensive effort all through March.
Golf, in that sense, has develop into greater than only a passion. It’s became a shared house the place stars and position gamers can join with out the strain of recreation conditions, media scrutiny, or packed arenas.
With the Western Convention tightening and the playoffs approaching, that connection could possibly be essential.
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