In a heartfelt moment at the Crypto.com Arena, San Antonio Spurs stars Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama gave their game-worn jerseys to Knox and Kai, the sons of JJ Redick. This happened because their shared NBA jersey collection was destroyed in the recent wildfire in Los Angeles.
This sweet gesture happened on the Lakers’ first home game back. The gift came as the family of JJ Redick copes with the loss of their Pacific Palisades home in the devastating wildfire in Los Angeles that has displaced thousands.
A gesture of compassion
Paul and Wembanyama approached Redick’s sons courtside after the game, handing over autographed jerseys in a moment captured by cameras and celebrated by fans. Chris Paul coordinated the gesture, who shares a close bond with Redick from their years as Clippers teammates.
The Redick family’s home and treasured belongings, including a cherished collection of signed basketball memorabilia, were destroyed in the fires. Redick, now in his first year as head coach of the Lakers, noted how much the act of kindness meant to his boys. They are both avid NBA fans and this is the starting point for a new basketball collection.
How JJ Redick and the Lakers are fighting the wildfire
The fires, which have ravaged large portions of the Los Angeles area, forced Redick’s family to evacuate their home. Like many Angelenos, they are now grappling with the loss of irreplaceable items and memories.
“This wildfire didn’t just take material things”, Redick said. “It’s about the memories we had there. 18 years with my wife, the art projects my kids made, and the life we built in that home”. Redick’s sons’ collection, built through years of meeting NBA players during his podcast recordings, perished in the fire.
The NBA family steps up
This wasn’t the only act of support for Redick’s family. Lakers guard Austin Reaves also left signed jerseys for Knox and Kai, underscoring the NBA community’s solidarity in difficult times.
This gesture towards JJ Redick and his family will happen with other teams, such as the Celtics, Knicks, and Heat.
As Los Angeles continues to recover from the wildfires, moments like this serve as reminders of the human connection that sports can foster, even in times of immense loss.