JJ Redick Breaks Silence On Rumors He Called A Black Woman A Racial Slur At Duke Days After Being Named Lakers Head Coach
JJ Redick is under scrutiny after accusations from a Black woman claimed he used a racial slur towards her while he was a college student at Duke University in the early 2000s.
Halleemah Nash, an entrepreneur, made the allegation on Tuesday on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Nash claimed in her post, "I've only been called the N-word to my face by a white man once in my life, and it was on the campus of Duke University while I was doing work with the basketball team. And today, he was named the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. What a world."
According to her LinkedIn profile, Nash managed the "Blue Devil Inner City Youth Project" in collaboration with Duke's basketball team from August 2003 to August 2004.
In response to the accusation, a spokesperson for Redick, 40, unequivocally denied the claims to 'TMZ,' simply stating, "No, it never happened."
After retiring from professional basketball in 2021, Redick transitioned into sports media. His endeavors have included game commentary for ESPN and hosting a podcast.
At a press conference, Redick acknowledged his limited coaching experience and mentioned that he became a candidate after coach Dan Hurley turned down the opportunity. He was the second runner-up for the position.
"At no point was my ego or feelings hurt or bruised in any way. Dan Hurley is a two-time national champion at UConn. I am a two-time 55 Swish League champion in the third — and fourth-grade division," Redick said. "I understood, you know?"
It's unclear whether the Lakers or Duke have publicaly commented about the allegation.