– In the glitzy world of Hollywood basketball, where superstars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis command the spotlight, it’s easy to overlook the unsung heroes lurking in the shadows of the bench. But last night, amid the roar of the Crypto.com Arena faithful, Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick dropped a bombshell that has the NBA world buzzing: the true architect of their latest victory isn’t a household name, a high-scoring guard, or even a dominant big man. No, it’s a 6’10” German sharpshooter who’s barely laced up his sneakers this season – Maxi Kleber. And somehow, everyone – from analysts to fans – completely missed it.
Picture this: The Lakers, fresh off a grueling five-game road trip, claw their way to a hard-fought win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night, November 15. It’s their second straight victory, a testament to resilience in a season that’s already seen its share of twists. The box scores light up with the usual suspects – Austin Reaves dropping dimes, Deandre Ayton anchoring the paint – but buried in the fine print is Kleber’s line: 3 points, 3 assists, 1 rebound in 25 minutes. On paper? Forgettable. In reality? Game-changing. Redick didn’t mince words in his postgame presser, elevating Kleber to the status of a “key figure” whose intangible contributions are fueling the Lakers’ surprising surge.
“Maxi Kleber has not been in the rotation all season,” Redick confessed, his voice carrying the weight of a coach who’s seen it all. “He’s played in a couple of blowouts and knew he was going to be part of the rotation tonight. He made one basket, but had a huge impact on the game with his physicality, his talk, and just what I would describe as what we want the Lakers’ spirit to be – just being a great teammate. The defense, the rebounding, all the stuff that are winning basketball plays. He was a big part of that tonight.”
Let’s rewind for context. Kleber, a 34-year-old veteran with a journeyman’s resume from stints in Dallas and beyond, arrived in Los Angeles as an afterthought in the blockbuster trade that pried Luka Dončić away from the Mavericks earlier this year. Hampered by injury from the jump, he’s suited up for just three games total – this Bucks thriller being his most significant. Yet, in a league obsessed with highlight-reel buckets and viral dunks, Kleber’s masterclass in the “little things” was the secret sauce. His vocal leadership on defense rattled Milwaukee’s rhythm, his physicality in the paint sparked second-chance opportunities, and his selfless passing kept the offense humming. It’s the kind of glue-guy magic that wins championships, not headlines. And Redick, a former sharpshooter turned tactical savant, spotted it from a mile away.
But here’s the unbelievable part: Kleber’s emergence isn’t a fluke; it’s the ripple effect of a Lakers culture Redick is meticulously building. While the world fixates on the glamour – James’s fadeaways, Davis’s rim protection – it’s players like Kleber who embody the “Lakers’ spirit” Redick preaches. In a post-LeBron era on the horizon, this could be the blueprint for sustained success: depth over dependency, grit over glamour. Everyone missed it because we were too busy chasing the stars. Redick didn’t.
Of course, no Lakers story is complete without shining a light on the big bodies making waves. Take Deandre Ayton, the former No. 1 overall pick who landed in L.A. this summer after a contract buyout from the Portland Trail Blazers. Thirteen games in, and Ayton’s already averaging 16.2 points and 8.4 rebounds on a scorching 69.2% shooting clip. Redick, ever the motivator, peeled back the curtain on how they’re unlocking the 27-year-old’s potential.
“He is the DeAndre that the team needs him to be,” Redick explained, leaning into the nuances of player psychology. “To me, he feeds off of the group’s energy, and he feeds off of empowerment and encouragement and positive reinforcement. And it took, you know, eight to ten days to figure that out in the preseason. And once we did, you know, it’s been really awesome to watch him grow with this group and be fully engaged and be a part of this group.”
Ayton’s transformation? It’s no coincidence. In a rotation that demands versatility, his paint dominance pairs perfectly with Kleber’s perimeter savvy, creating a frontcourt tandem that’s equal parts thunder and finesse. Against the Bucks, Ayton’s double-digit scoring and board work were the sledgehammer; Kleber’s intangibles, the chisel. Together, they’re carving out wins where losses once loomed.
And let’s not forget Austin Reaves, the undrafted gem who’s become the heartbeat of this squad. Fresh off the road trip – a respectable 3-2 mark against beasts like the Pelicans, Hawks, Thunder, and Bucks – Reaves exuded the maturity of a veteran twice his age. “To go 3-2 on a trip like this early in the year, you know, it’s good,” he told reporters, brushing off the what-ifs with trademark cool. “Obviously, you wish you’d just played a little better in Atlanta and OKC, but it’s the league and you’re going to have nights like that. You had to learn to move on. We had a good win last night and then turned the page and got here and played a really, really good first half; it was a really good full game. We had a couple of stretches there in the third quarter that weren’t great, but that’s a good team with some really good players. It’s good to be 3-2 on this trip.”
Reaves’ poise? It’s infectious, trickling down to Kleber’s bench energy and Ayton’s renewed fire. This isn’t just a team winning games; it’s a collective rediscovering its identity under Redick’s steady hand.
As the Lakers catch their breath – with a quick turnaround against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday, November 18, back home at Crypto.com Arena – the narrative shifts. The “unbelievable truth” isn’t some hidden conspiracy or overnight miracle. It’s Maxi Kleber, the forgotten import who’s reminding us all that basketball’s greatest victories are built on the backs of those who don’t chase the lights. JJ Redick saw it. The stats lied. And now, in the city of angels, the real stars are starting to shine.