Report: Raptors interview ESPN analyst, former player JJ Redick for head coaching job

The Toronto Raptors are leaving no stone unturned in their head coaching search, as they have reportedly interviewed former player and current ESPN analyst JJ Redick for the job, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Wednesday.

A 15-year NBA veteran who retired in 2021, Redick has no previous coaching experience on his resume.

Sportsnet's Michael Grange reported Tuesday that Redick was one of the "wild-card" candidates the Raptors were possibly considering.

Redick joins a growing list of candidates the Raptors are considering for an interview, which includes WNBA legend Becky Hammon, Raptors assistant and Raptors 905 head coach Patrick Mutombo, former Brooklyn Nets head coach and current Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Charles Lee, Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn, Philadelphia 76ers assistant Sam Cassell and Sacramento Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez. Other candidates mentioned include former Raptors assistant, Raptors 905 head coach and current Vanderbilt University head coach Jerry Stackhouse, current Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin and Denver Nuggets assistant David Adelman.

Known as a sharp-shooter throughout his long NBA career, Redick shot a career 41.5 per cent from behind the arc. With 1,950 career-made threes over his career, he sits 18th on the NBA's all-time list.

After his playing career, Redick moved to the sports media world, first with his own podcast "The Old Man and the Three," which he hosts with Tommy Alter. He then was hired by ESPN, where he is a full-time NBA analyst.

The Raptors fired former head coach Nick Nurse after a disappointing 2022-23 season that saw them fall short of the playoffs after being bounced in the NBA's play-in tournament.