JJ Redick Jokingly Roots Against 'Ultimate Winner' Chris Paul's Title Bid Fueling Lakers-Clippers Rivalry

JJ Redick lived up to his role as the LA Lakers coach in the Lakers-Clippers rivalry. The former NBA player turned coach rooted against Clippers guard Chris Paul in a recent interview.

Former ESPN LA reporter Lauren Jones asked Redick for his thoughts on CP3's legacy during a media appearance on Saturday. The Lakers coach called Paul an ultimate winner but wished against the guard's championship dreams.

"I hope he doesn’t win an NBA championship because that would mean the Clippers win an NBA championship and we don't," he said. "But to me he is an ultimate winner.

"There are guys who have won championships that I wouldn't say are winning players and there are who have nevr won a championship, but to me are the ultimate winners. That’s who Chris Paul is, he’s the ultimate winner."

The reporter asked Redick about Chris Paul in light of the guard's decision to retire from the sport at the end of the season. The Clippers star made the announcement on Saturday, sharing a video montage featuring the best moments from his career on his social media accounts.

JJ Redick gets real on his relationship with Chris Paul

While JJ Redick may have wished Chris Paul not to win a championship this year, he and the Clippers star share a special bond. Redick and Paul played together on the Clippers team for five seasons.

During that time, they went from rivals to close friends. On Sunday, Redick was asked about his relationship with the Clippers guard, and the Lakers coach gave a detailed explanation of his dynamic with his former teammate.

"I’m not going to craft a narrative, I just know him as a human being, a teammate and a brother," Redick said. The arc of our relationship is very interesting from going to a decade plus of quite literally hating each other to feeling like he is a part of my family.

"Getting to watch him evolve as a player, as a competitor, as a leader in the later stages, particularly after I retired, has actually been really fun for me."

Redick said that he saw very few players who accomplished as much as Paul in the NBA. He praised the Clippers guard for his ability to make the most out of every possession. Later, he wished CP3 the best in his retirement and told reporters that the game would miss him when he is gone.