The Lakers appear set to hire their first full-time female coach as Lindsey Harding will reportedly join JJ Redick’s coaching staff.
JJ Redick continues to fill out his coaching staff with his latest addition being a very notable one. Lindsey Harding, who was the G League Coach of the Year, has reportedly agreed to join Redick’s staff, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Harding will become the first full-time female assistant for the Lakers.
ESPN Sources: Lindsey Harding — the G League coach of the year — has agreed on a deal to become an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers. Harding leaves the Kings to rejoin JJ Redick, whom she spent time with on the Sixers staff and as a Duke All-American. pic.twitter.com/O0O0Gom3ic
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 16, 2024
The Lakers have hired G League Coach of the Year, Lindsey Harding, to a spot on JJ Redick's staff, sources confirmed to the Times.
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) July 16, 2024
Harding and Redick have a history together, as Wojnarowski pointed out in his article as well. Harding was a player development coach with the 76ers when Redick played in Philadelphia.
Even further back, the two played together at Duke at the same time where both were All-Americans.
If you need further proof of their relationship, he was showing his support for her to get a look for the Duke women’s basketball job back in 2020.
Can we get a look for Lindsey Harding? https://t.co/QMF0bB9IX1
— JJ Redick (@jj_redick) July 6, 2020
Harding had a long playing career in the WNBA and abroad, including a stop with the Sparks. She was an All-American at Duke and the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft in 2007, when Mercury selected her before trading her to Lynx to begin her career.
After her playing career ended, she turned to coaching, spending time in Philadelphia as a scout and player development coach before landing in Sacramento. She is currently the head coach of the Mexican women’s basketball national team and has previously served as the head coach of the South Sudan women’s basketball team.
In 2023, became the head coach of the Stockton Kings. Sacramento’s G League affiliate. There, she led the Kings to a 24-10 record, the best in the league, which earned her the award for Coach of the Year.
This offseason, she did interview for the Hornets’ head coach position.
Previously, the Lakers hired Shay Murphy as a coaching associate in 2021. This, though, appears to be the first time a woman has been hired full-time on the staff.
Harding joins Nate McMillan, Scott Brooks and Greg St. Jean as the coaches on Redick’s roster so far. That is already an experienced staff coming to Los Angeles from a lot of different areas.
In total, it’s an encouraging staff so far with a few more pieces likely to fill out.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.
