Lakers coach JJ Redick expressed his shock and sorrow as he described the devastation caused by the recent wildfire in Pacific Palisades, which claimed his family’s rented home earlier this week.
During a press conference following Friday’s practice, Redick shared his emotional response to the disaster, marking the first time he spoke publicly about the fire’s impact. The Lakers are set to face the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday.
“I’m not sure I’ve cried like that in years,” Redick admitted, his voice trembling with emotion.
The fire engulfed Redick’s home on Tuesday while the Lakers were away in Dallas. Fortunately, his wife Chelsea and their two sons were out of harm’s way, but Redick felt compelled to return to Pacific Palisades the following day to witness the aftermath.
“I was not prepared for what I saw,” he recalled. “The destruction is complete. I had to take a different route to the house, and it was heartbreaking to see the village reduced to ash. You can’t ever truly prepare for something like that. Our home is gone.”
Reflecting on the community that welcomed his family since he took over as head coach last summer, Redick noted the loss of a local recreation center where he had planned to coach his sons in a basketball league. “It’s all gone,” he lamented.
The Redick family had been renting in Pacific Palisades while they explored options for a permanent residence in Los Angeles.
“Everything we cherished over nearly 20 years together and a decade of parenting was in that house,” he explained. “Some things are irreplaceable. The material possessions can be replaced, but the emotional toll of losing a home is profound. It’s a feeling no one should have to experience.”
Despite the circumstances, Redick is back with the Lakers, who are uncertain if they will play as scheduled on Saturday night.
The Lakers’ game against the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday was postponed, along with a matchup between the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames at the same venue.
While the Kings are on a lengthy road trip, the Lakers are poised to begin a five-game homestand, with games against the Spurs, followed by Miami and Brooklyn.
Both Redick and teammate Austin Reaves expressed a desire to play, viewing it as an opportunity to provide a much-needed distraction for a city grappling with grief.
“It’s heartbreaking,” Reaves said. “I’ve felt nothing but love from LA since I arrived. Seeing the destruction in the Palisades is tragic. People are losing their homes, and it’s a sad time, but I know we will come together as a community to overcome this.”
In light of the ongoing crisis, the NFL has shifted the Los Angeles Rams’ playoff game against Minnesota to Glendale, Arizona, four days before the scheduled contest.
Meanwhile, the LA Clippers are preparing for their homestand in Inglewood, set to host the Hornets, Miami, and Brooklyn in the coming days.
