Lakers to Hire Lindsey Harding as Team’s First Female Assistant Coach

The Los Angeles Lakers are set to make history by hiring Sacramento Kings G League coach Lindsey Harding as the team’s first female assistant coach.

Harding will bring a wealth of experience to coach JJ Redick’s crew. She played college basketball at Duke and was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 WNBA draft. She additionally had a nine-season career in the WNBA, playing for Minnesota, Washington, Atlanta, Las Vegas, New York and Phoenix.

Harding's coaching career began in Philadelphia while Redick was playing for the 76ers. She later went to Sacramento, where she has been an assistant coach for the past five seasons. Guiding the Stockton Kings in the G League, she made history as the first Black female head coach in the league and was awarded the Coach of the Year award, voted on by league coaches and general managers.

Earlier this summer, Harding interviewed for the head coaching position with the Charlotte Hornets.

The Lakers' coaching staff will also feature experienced names such as former head coaches Scott Brooks and Nate McMillan, former Lakers assistant Greg St. Jean, and former Charlotte and Orlando assistant Bob Beyer. Redick, who has been in Las Vegas with the Lakers for the summer league, has emphasized the importance of player development in his coaching philosophy.

“I think just in general, the player development program we're trying to build is holistic, Redick said earlier this summer according to NBA.com . “Oftentimes when people talk about player development, they talk about ball handling, and shooting, and passing, and certainly the mechanics of playing basketball … but it's also tactical. It's about reads, it's about incorporating film, incorporating analytics.”

The Lakers recently announced two significant signings : LeBron James agreed to a two-year, $104 million deal, while his son, Bronny James, signed a four-year, $7.9 million rookie contract. These deals ensure the first father-son duo in NBA history will play together for the franchise’s next season.