The Los Angeles Lakers have added veteran NBA head coaches Nate McMillan and Scott Brooks to JJ Redick’s coaching staff as top assistants, sources informed ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
McMillan and Brooks bring extensive experience to the Lakers, having collectively overseen 2,363 NBA games. They are set to support Redick in his debut season as a head coach.
McMillan’s most recent role was with the Atlanta Hawks during the 2022-23 season. He stepped in for Lloyd Pierce midway through the 2020-21 season and led the team to the Eastern Conference Finals that year. Over two-and-a-half seasons, McMillan achieved a 99-80 record with Atlanta before being dismissed in February 2023. His coaching career began in the 1999-00 season as an assistant to Paul Westphal with the Seattle Supersonics.
In addition to his time with Seattle, McMillan served as head coach for the Portland Trail Blazers and the Indiana Pacers across multiple seasons.
Brooks has a notable coaching history as well, having spent seven seasons as the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, followed by five seasons with the Washington Wizards. His tenure with the Thunder included several playoff runs, highlighted by a Finals appearance in 2012 with stars Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook. Brooks also has experience as an assistant coach, including his most recent role with the Portland Trail Blazers alongside Chauncey Billups.
Although McMillan and Brooks have never worked together before, they bring a wealth of knowledge to Redick’s staff. They also never served as head coaches for Redick during his 15-season NBA career, which saw him play for six different teams.
