Paul and Wembanyama help Redick children restart memorabilia collection

Today at 09:35 PM

Once teammates but forever brothers

Lakers coach JJ Redick and his family were among the 200,000 people affected by the California wildfires. Their rental home was destroyed along with precious belongings. One of the losses that stood out to Redick was one of his son's art projects from last year: a charcoal pencil/painting the family hung up above the stairs.

On Friday, Redick was visibly shaken and explained how difficult it was to see the remnants of their home. "I kind of had to see it for myself. I was not prepared for what I saw. It's complete devastation… I went through most of the village and it's all gone."

What he and many others are experiencing is unimaginable pain and a harsh reminder it could happen to anyone. The NBA postponed Saturday's Spurs-Lakers game because of the wildfires, but business as usual continued on Monday. The Spurs were still in town and defeated the Lakers.

Then Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama, two highly distinguished ballers, showed how they are better people than players. They approached Redick and his two children, gifting them their jerseys and signing them to restart their collection. When Redick was a podcaster, the players who stopped by his home to record would bring jerseys or basketball cards.

After the game, Redick spoke about the bond between him and Paul, his teammate of four years with the Clippers. "In the league, long enough, you have this big circle. It's people you like, people you love and then it's your brothers, and Chris [Paul] is in that inner, inner, circle of brothers." He also said while he and Paul were talking in the afternoon before the game, he was told the gesture was coming.

In the opposite press room, Paul was choked up, saying the Redick clan is part of his family. "I wanted to do that for his boys. I know how big basketball fans they are," he said.

It's nice to know the same guy is looking out for the young Spurs. It's equally cool that Wembanyama is so classy.