During a media session following Friday’s practice, Redick spoke candidly about the emotional impact of the incident, revealing that it was the first time he had genuinely broken down in years. “I’ve not experienced such sorrow in quite a while,” he articulated.
The fire consumed the Redick’s rented home on Tuesday while the Lakers were away playing in Dallas. Fortunately, Redick’s wife, Chelsea, and their two children were safe and away from the affected area. However, Redick returned to Pacific Palisades the following day to assess the damage himself.
“The destruction was beyond what I could have imagined,” he recalled. “The sight was overwhelmingly devastating. I had to take a different route to get to our house, and I drove through what was once our community, only to find it in ruins. You can never adequately prepare yourself for a loss of this magnitude. It feels surreal to say our home is no longer there.”
While emotional, Redick took a moment to reflect on the neighborhood that had welcomed them since he took over as head coach of the Lakers last summer. He noted that a local recreation center, where he had shared precious moments with his sons and planned to coach a youth basketball team, has also been destroyed.
The family had been renting the Pacific Palisades residence as they contemplated a permanent move in Los Angeles. “We lost nearly two decades worth of meaningful possessions from our life together and the years spent raising our children, all of which were in that house,” Redick stated. “There are items that are irreplaceable. While material possessions can be replaced, the emotional toll we are processing is daunting. Losing a home is a feeling nobody should endure.”
Despite the personal challenges, Redick has returned to coaching with the Lakers, though the team is uncertain about their scheduled game against San Antonio on Saturday night.
The Lakers had to postpone their home game against Charlotte on Thursday, and a hockey game between the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and Calgary also faced cancellation. The Kings have embarked on an extended road trip, but the Lakers were prepared to kick off a five-game homestand, starting with their upcoming match against the Spurs, followed by games against Miami and Brooklyn.
Both Redick and teammate Austin Reaves expressed hope that the team could play, viewing it as an opportunity to provide a much-needed diversion for the weary city.
“It’s disheartening to witness this tragedy, particularly since I have felt welcomed in LA ever since I arrived. The city has embraced me completely,” Reaves shared. “Just recently, I mentioned to friends that I could see myself living here permanently after my playing days, because I love this city so much. The images and videos of destruction are heartbreaking. It’s tragic to see homes lost and the Palisades in flames. Yet I am confident we will recover, as LA is a resilient community.”
Additionally, the NFL has decided to relocate the Los Angeles Rams’ wild-card playoff game against Minnesota to Glendale, Arizona, making the announcement several days prior to the scheduled matchup.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers have begun their homestand in Inglewood, just a short distance from the Rams’ SoFi Stadium, with games lined up against the Hornets, Miami, and Brooklyn over the next week.
