Fires, destruction, hope: One year later for JJ Redick, the Lakers and L.A.

ONE YEAR LATER, JJ Redick found himself in a familiar situation. Another January road game loss for the Los Angeles Lakers in Texas. Disturbing images lingered on his phone. A midnight flight back home.

On January 8, 2025, after facing the Dallas Mavericks, Redick and the Lakers returned to find parts of Southern California ablaze. Wildfires had ravaged nearly 60,000 acres, destroying countless homes and businesses, obliterating communities in Altadena, Malibu, and the Pacific Palisades, where the new Lakers coach and his family made their home.

A year later, on January 8, 2026, Redick and the Lakers returned from San Antonio to discover Southern California still in recovery mode. “It felt like 365 days had passed, literally,” Redick reflected with ESPN. “Driving up the 405, remembering how I would turn onto the 10-W toward the Palisades where we lived, it hit me.”

In San Antonio, emotions surged as friends reached out to him on the anniversary of the destruction of his rental home by the Via Del Paz bluffs.

His wife, Chelsea, shared their ordeal on social media; numerous messages referencing her posts prompted Redick, who had steered clear of social platforms to focus on coaching, to briefly return to check her updates.

In the middle of a coaching meeting, he read her message.

“I cried,” he admitted, quickly apologizing for his interruption.

A year of contemplation had ensued for Redick and countless others who faced immense loss. “It was one of the most emotional moments of my life, and I needed to understand why,” Redick expressed. “yes, losing our house was obvious, but losing our sense of community is a deeper loss. The worry is that even with rebuilding, it won’t be the same anymore. It weighed heavily on me.”

He realized that much of his anger stemmed from the short time his family had spent in their home—only five months. “I wished we could have built a life there, for my kids to experience it fully, and for Chelsea to enjoy it forever.”

Channeling these emotions into action, Redick partnered with other Los Angeles leaders to establish his charity, LA Sports Strong. He collaborated with the nonprofit Steadfast L.A. to revitalize the Palisades Recreation Center. Meetings with builders, funders, and community leaders focused on creating fire-resistant structures paired with 50,000 square feet of rehabilitated green and community space, safeguarded by flame-retardant landscaping.

On January 8, Redick participated in a fundraiser for the rec center at a Palisades home.

Stand-up comedian Judd Apatow entertained. Jennifer Garner spoke to attendees. Ryan Tedder from OneRepublic performed. Adam Sandler introduced Redick and L.A. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts for an intimate discussion with the city’s leading sports figures.

The event garnered millions, far exceeding expectations, Redick shared. “We raised over double our target.”

This generosity mirrored the support Redick’s family received last spring when the NBA community rallied to help replace the cherished memorabilia lost by Redick’s sons, Knox and Kai, both avid sports fans.

EVEN AT THOUSANDS of feet in the air, Redick felt the lingering devastation.

As the team plane descended toward LAX post-game in Dallas that January, he beheld the orange glow of devastation. Coaches and players could scent the aftermath.

“We saw embers, fires, and smoke,” Redick recalled. “Flying through a patch of smoke was overwhelming.”

Chelsea and the boys had already evacuated. Redick met them at their hotel around 3 a.m., still in his coach’s attire from the game.

After resting briefly, he followed a list from Chelsea to the Palisades to salvage whatever he could from their home.

The list included sentimental items like Chelsea’s original engagement ring, practical needs such as iPads for the kids, and clothing for their stay in the hotel with only overnight bags.

Upon arrival, navigating through blocked roads and first responders, whatever remained was unrecognizable.

“Just ashes and rubble, just like our neighborhood… and most of the Palisades,” Redick remarked. “It was the most devastating sight of my life.”

He stood on the street where his home once stood, feeling the heat of the smoldering remains.

“Everything had collapsed, the framing and stairs, reduced to a heap of ashes,” he said. “Trying to check off items on the list was impossible.”

“There was nothing left there,” Redick said.

He called Chelsea and returned to his family.

“By the time I got back, Chelsea had already informed the kids,” Redick shared. “The initial minutes must have been incredibly emotional.”

While Redick and the city faced unimaginable grief, the league postponed the Lakers’ games on January 9 and January 11. yet, they resumed practice on January 13 against the Spurs.

His players and coaches rallied around him supportively.

“I made it clear that I was ready to coach if they wanted to play,” Redick recalled. “I wasn’t about to give less than my best.”

Recognizing the team’s role in community service, Redick had an LAFD patch affixed to his coaching attire. The Lakers organized donation drives for food and essentials while hosting a first responders night at Crypto.com Arena, including a clinic run by Robert Horry.

Assuming the public role of representing those affected, Redick understood his family’s privilege in being able to manage the costs of being displaced. He pledged to take action beyond mere representation.

During the first practice, player Austin Reaves approached Redick.

“He told me he had left something in his locker for Knox and Kai,” Redick mentioned. It was personalized, signed jerseys for his sons.

Reaves, known affectionately as “Uncle A” by Redick’s children, understood the significance of their lost collection.

“Before games, he always lets me shoot a three-pointer after I rebound for him,” Knox shared, expressing admiration for Reaves.

The lost memorabilia encompassed items referred to by collectors as “grails.” For instance, a Luka Doncic Mavericks jersey, personally signed for Knox. It was presented to him in New York when Redick was beginning his media journey.

besides, a Stephen Curry jersey, personally autographed for Kai, was signed after a podcast taping. In total, Redick estimates each son lost about eight to ten jerseys, along with numerous basketball cards acquired through birthday gifts or chores. Everything was gone.

What Reaves initiated, Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama from the Spurs continued.

Upon the Lakers’ return to action on January 13, both players presented game-worn jerseys to Knox and Kai post-game.

“Chris gets it,” Redick reflected on his long-time friend. “We had a complex relationship initially, but through teamwork, we found common ground and built a strong bond. It meant a lot, and I’m not surprised Vic got involved too; he’s a genuinely admirable person.”

With news spreading on social media, many others contributed to Knox’s and Kai’s collection.

Curry sent two signed jerseys—one for each son. Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic followed suit with two jerseys as well.

The boys also received authentic jerseys from LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.

Hall of Famers David Robinson and Michael Cooper also sent personalized jerseys, alongside current players like Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero of the Orlando Magic, and Cooper Flagg from Duke University, Redick’s alma mater, which even provided a Redick No. 4 jersey. UCLA’s basketball program contributed jerseys too.

Topps and Panini replenished their collection of trading cards, filling the void left by the fire.

Each item brought temporary happiness and ownership amidst the backdrop of grief, especially as 37 families at their school also faced similar losses.

“They recognize not just their own loss but the broader impact on the community,” Redick mentioned about the maturity of his sons. “We discuss it regularly as parents.”

How did they feel about the outpouring of support?

“Excited and thankful,” Kai responded.

“Happy and shocked,” Knox added.

TURN OFF THE Pacific Coast Highway and venture up Temescal Canyon toward Pacific Palisades today, and the scars of the fires are evident.

On one side of the road stands a park bench emblazoned with the motto “PALI STRONG” — a rallying cry for the community during its recovery.

On the opposite side, hazardous signs outline the danger:

SEVERE FIRE DANGERS

— No Smoking

— No Fires

— No Barbeques

— No Portable Stoves

As the road reaches its peak, Palisades High — attended by Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr — stands undamaged, bearing the bright aqua letters “Pali High — Home of the Dolphins.”

Across from the school, empty plots lay in the wake of destruction, some marked by construction equipment, while a few have wooden frames going up. Others remain filled with debris, never to be rebuilt.

On Redick’s previous street, constant reminders serve as stark illustrations of ongoing recovery efforts.

The sign outside Palisades Charter Elementary School reads: “Returning August.”

And on the line below: “2028.”

Placards from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers occasionally serve as the only identifier of what once filled vacant lots.

Charred tree branches jet against the clear blue sky and ocean views.

On Swarthmore Avenue, a sculpture depicting two metallic figures holding hands, albeit with parts of their bodies missing, stands as a symbol. Titled “Broken But Together,” a sign reveals, “This statue was the only thing that remarkably survived the fire at our home.”

Redick remains hopeful that the community can slowly reassemble — together.

“We discovered a remarkable place filled with incredible people,” Redick mused. “That’s truly the aim for the new rec center. Whether through a church, a school, or a community center, these communal spaces are vital for drawing people back.”

He recognizes the “logistical nightmare” many Palisades residents endure, even those whose homes survived.

Redick has homed in on a site he and his family identified as the center of their Palisades experience.

“If it wasn’t a game day, you could find me at the rec center,” Redick noted.

Others frequented that space, too. His LA Strong Sports foundation has identified the center as serving more than 750 children daily, offering over 70 programs ranging from kids’ basketball and baseball to adult tennis and bocce ball.

It fostered connection, conversation, and growth for the youth — an oasis.

The gymnasium, where Knox and Kai played their basketball games, has been demolished. Though it survived the fires, heat combined with the sprinkler system caused the court to warp and buckle, creating an undulating surface.

Last March, Redick invited kids from the displaced rec league to the UCLA Health and Training Center for playtime. With the new season underway, the family still attends rec practices in the auxiliary gym of the Palisades — a brick building untouched by the tragedy — reminding them of what was lost.

“It’s shocking to see all the places that used to exist no longer there,” Knox reflected. “It makes me feel sad.”

Redick anticipates that the city will approve building permits for the rec center by the end of the month or early February. He has already secured nearly $25 million of the $47 million required for reconstruction, with hopes to reopen in the first half of 2027, sources informed ESPN.

Knox selected their previous home by the bluffs, instantly enamored with it among all the properties they toured.

“We told him he could pick since we were relocating,” Redick explained. “His excitement to start fourth grade and experience electives excited him.”

Redick’s family has lived in 19 different homes throughout his NBA career and post-retirement.

The Palisades felt like their Camelot.

“Upon moving to L.A., it became clear within days that this place was extraordinary. We were happy,” Redick described. “Chelsea remarked early in the season, ‘This is the most content I’ve seen you since your playing days.’”

though their former home is gone, its memories linger. After spending ten months bouncing between hotels, temporary residences, and time in the East, the Redicks have now settled into a new house they hope will be their forever home.

“The theme for our fundraising event was ‘a night of resilience.’ I told Chelsea how unexpected this situation was, yet observing her and the kids’ resilience, strength, and adaptability has been incredible,” Redick shared.

“It has strengthened our family unit. I’m genuinely proud of all three of them.”

Redick aspires for the Palisades to reclaim its former joy and serve as a sanctuary for families once more, just as it did for his family.

A sentiment beautifully encapsulated by Knox when asked what home means to him.

“A safe and comfortable place you can return to that uplifts your spirits.”