JJ Redick: ‘I haven’t cried or wailed like that in years,’ Lakers coach says after losing home in Palisades fire

CNN
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Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick lamented losing “things that you can’t replace” as he described the pain of watching his rental house burn down in Pacific Palisades wildfire.

An emotional Redick told reporters Friday after the Lakers’ practice that he witnessed “complete destruction and devastation” in his community when he returned home after the fire.

“I walked through most of the village and it’s all gone, and I don’t think you can ever prepare for something like that,” Redick said. “Our home is gone.

“We rented for the year to try to figure out where we wanted to be long-term. Everything we owned that was of any importance to us, almost 20 years together as a couple and 10 years of parenting, was in that house . There are certain things you can’t replace that will never be replaced.”

He added, “It’s a terrible feeling to lose your home. I think what’s happened in the last 72 hours from being up there and from having a number of people who had homes in the Palisades, who also lives in the hotel, you really get a sense of that shared devastation. I came back to the hotel and of course my wife and I are emotional. I’m not sure I’ve cried or wailed like that in years.”

Redick was a basketball analyst for ESPN before becoming a head coach and moving to the Los Angeles area. During his 15-year playing career, he spent four seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers.

“The Palisades community has really just been so good to us,” Redick said, fighting back tears. “I think that’s the part for us that we’re really struggling with, just the loss of the community. And I recognize that people make up the community and we want to rebuild and we want to help lead that. But all the churches, the schools, the library, it’s all gone.”

After speaking with reporters, Redick was comforted by Lakers guard Austin Reaves on the team’s practice court.

Los Angeles was scheduled to return to action Saturday night against the San Antonio Spurs at Crypto.com Arena, but the game has been postponed.

“The Los Angeles community is in our hearts,” the team said in a statement. “The Lakers look forward to getting back on the field soon, honoring LA’s first responders and recognizing the heartache that we have endured in our beloved community.”

The Clippers were scheduled to host the Charlotte Hornets at the Intuit Dome on Saturday, but that game has also been postponed.

More than 100,000 residents remain under evacuation orders as fires continue to sweep across LA County and firefighters struggle to contain them. Officials have confirmed at least 11 deaths, but say it is not yet safe to assess the true total.

Redick wasn’t the only NBA coach affected by the fires. On Thursday, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said his childhood home in Pacific Palisades, where his mother still lived, has been destroyed.

“It’s my hometown and all my friends that are from there, pretty much all of them have lost their homes, their family homes, childhood homes,” Kerr told reporters.

“Our whole high school is gone. The town looks like it’s just been completely wiped out … It’s hard to even fathom how Pacific Palisades is going to rebuild and become a thriving community again. It’s just shocking.”