SAN FRANCISCO — After JJ Redick walked off the postgame podium Saturday, his Los Angeles Lakers just having held Stephen Curry to a rough shooting night in a 118-108 win over the Golden State Warriors, there was a Warriors security guard waiting for him.
He had a gift to present to the Lakers coach: two of Curry’s jerseys autographed and personalized for Redick’s sons, Knox and Kai.
Redick’s home in the Pacific Palisades burned to the ground in the Southern California wildfires earlier this month, with the flames decimating his family’s possessions, including his boys’ sports memorabilia collection.
Curry helped replenish that haul, following the lead of Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, who made a similar gesture following the Lakers’ first game back after a six-game postponement of the schedule because of the fires.
“We’ll be in a house soon,” Redick said when asked about his family, who stayed in a hotel after being evacuated from the Pacific Palisades. “So they’re safe and they’re taken care of. The kids are back in school.”
Saturday marked the start of a five-game road trip for L.A., with Redick needing to leave his family for the job.
“Had this trip been three or four days after [the fires] it would have been tough, but they’re in a good place,” Redick said. “We have a lot of support both in the community and with family.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr was affected by the fires, too. His mother, who lived in the Pacific Palisades, lost her home. His high school, Palisades Charter High, also burned.
He wore a Palisades Dolphins hat to his pregame news conference to show support for his alma mater and said he and Redick have kept in touch over text in the days and weeks since the fires.
“He’s gone through more than I have because he lost his house,” Kerr said. “My mom lost hers. So, it hasn’t affected my life directly. It’s more so worrying about my mom. … But I haven’t talked to JJ in detail about where he’s living, what his kids are doing, school, all that stuff. That’s a lot. So, he’s got a lot more on his plate right now than I do.”
Kerr added that Lakers governor Jeanie Buss is also a Palisades Charter alum and the Warriors and Lakers have arranged for tickets for members of the Dolphins basketball teams to attend their game when L.A. hosts Golden State at Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 6.
“Getting them a little red carpet treatment,” Kerr said.
Source: espn.com