Image Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch Takes Jab at JJ Redick, Says Having Podcast Qualifies One to Coach Lakers

Coach Finch's cheeky dig at Coach Redick!

Image Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch poked fun at the Los Angeles Lakers’ head coach JJ Redick and his leap from being a podcaster to coaching an NBA team. Before being at the helm of the Lakers’ coaching department, Redick had a playing career of 15 years before he focused on podcasting and media. The 41-year-old was the host of a popular basketball podcast- Mind the Games with LeBron James. After the podcast, Redick jumped into a coaching gig with the Lakers and is currently in his second year with the 17-time champions.

Finch, who worked with Redick as an associate head coach during their stint with the New Orleans Pelicans, was present on a live episode of “The Zach Lowe Show”. He was discussing his return to podcast earlier this year and said that now he is eligible to coach the Lakers, seemingly taking a cheeky dig at Redick. “I bet three-quarters of the people here tonight will go home and start a podcast. That qualifies you to coach the Lakers,” Finch told the host.

Wolves coach Chris Finch on podcasting:

“I mean, it’ll qualify you to coach the Lakers.”pic.twitter.com/xdbvMbMkUU
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) November 14, 2025

Look at JJ Redick and Chris Finch’s Rivalry

While Redick jumped off the mic and is now leading the Lakers’ coaching staff, Finch took a long route to his coaching job in the NBA. He spent more than a decade with multiple teams in Europe before getting into G League with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in 2009. Even in the NBA, he spent a decade as an assistant coach before the Timberwolves hired him to be the head coach in 2021.

Finch has gotten the Timberwolves thinking that they can be contenders for the NBA title. In the previous season, both teams locked horns in the first round of the playoffs, and Finch’s side took down the Lakers in five games. It can be said that both Finch and Redick have done pretty good jobs with their teams, establishing them as leading competitive teams with strong records.

Redick coached the Lakers to a 50-32 record in the previous season, and currently, they are off to an 8-4 start with two wins over the Timberwolves. The Gold and Purple have occupied the fifth spot in the Western Conference standings while the Timberwolves are in the sixth spot. Both teams will now be up against each other on March 10 in Los Angeles.

Chris Finch

JJ Redick

Garima Ranawat

Garima is a sports writer with around two years of experience in Indian sports and a newfound interest in the NBA. Inspired by the leadership of cricketing legend MS Dhoni, she wishes to bring in newer perspectives to the NBA fanatics with her writing.