The January 2025 wildfires destroyed large parts of Pacific Palisades, changing the area permanently. Among the estimated 5,300 structures claimed by the blaze was the rental home of Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick and his family. They didn’t just lose a house—they lost years of memories and personal things they couldn’t replace.
Lakers Coach, Redick’s Journey to Pacific Palisades
Redick’s move to coaching started long before he came to Pacific Palisades. After a 15-year NBA career that included stints with the Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Pelicans, and Dallas Mavericks, Redick worked as a broadcaster for ESPN. He understood the game and knew how to communicate—qualities that helped him move into coaching.
When the Lakers appointed Redick as head coach in the summer of 2024, he and his wife, Chelsea, faced the decision of where to settle with their two sons, Knox and Kai. The family chose the Pacific Palisades neighborhood for its sense of community and family-friendly environment. They rented there while figuring out where to settle in Los Angeles.
The move to Pacific Palisades marked a new chapter for the family, who had previously owned a Brooklyn duplex featured in Architectural Digest. Their Brooklyn property showcased the couple’s sophisticated design sensibilities, with European-inspired décor and custom features throughout the 3,000-square-foot space. The family had sold this property in 2021 for $8.5 million, having initially purchased it in 2017.
Pacific Palisades House
Unlike their well-known Brooklyn house, their Palisades rental stayed mostly private. The family had moved to the property when JJ took the Lakers coaching position, seeing it as a temporary home while they explored permanent options in Los Angeles.
Pacific Palisades, between Santa Monica and Malibu, offered both luxury and community. The area is known for its spectacular ocean views, access to hiking trails, and proximity to some of the best schools in Los Angeles—all factors that likely appealed to the Redicks as they settled into their new life.
While specific details about the architectural style and features of their Pacific Palisades home weren’t widely published, the neighborhood is known for properties that capitalize on the stunning Southern California landscape. Most homes there have open layouts, outdoor spaces, and modern features that fit the relaxed California vibe.
The family had quickly become integrated into the Pacific Palisades community, with JJ planning to coach his sons in their winter basketball league at the local recreation center—a building that was also destroyed in the fire. This connection to the neighborhood makes the loss all the more poignant.
The Wildfire’s Impact
The January 2025 wildfire that ravaged Pacific Palisades was part of a series of blazes fueled by unusually strong winds throughout Los Angeles County. The wind helped the fires spread fast, putting approximately 30,000 people under evacuation orders.
When the fires broke out, Redick was in Dallas with the Lakers preparing for a game against the Mavericks. His wife, Chelsea, was out with friends when she spotted the fire and immediately rushed home. She stayed calm, grabbed their nanny, and picked up the kids from school before evacuating to safety.
Chelsea was “heading to the airport. She went home, grabbed our nanny… Got the kids out of school. They’re safe. That’s all that matters,” Redick later told reporters.
While the family reached safety, their home and belongings could not be saved. Upon returning to Los Angeles, Redick drove to Pacific Palisades to witness the aftermath firsthand. “I was not prepared for what I saw. It’s complete devastation and destruction. I had to go a different way to the house, but I went through most of the village, and it’s all gone. I don’t think you can ever prepare yourself for something like that. Our home is gone,” Redick shared with reporters.
The wildfire didn’t just destroy homes—it changed the whole community. Churches, schools, the library, and the recreation center where the family spent considerable time,e were all reduced to ash. The destruction changed the landscape permanently.
Treasures Lost to the Flames
“Everything that we owned that was of any importance to us in almost 20 years together as a couple and 10 years of parenting was in that house,” Redick explained. “There are certain things that you can’t replace, that will never be replaced.”
Among the irreplaceable items lost was a charcoal painting of a lighthouse created by Redick’s son, along with other priceless memories from his marriage and children’s early years. These items tied to big moments in their lives.
For Chelsea and JJ, who had built a life across multiple cities during their basketball careers, their stuff held memories from their life together. Family photographs, childhood mementos, and items collected throughout their travels were all consumed by the flames.
Even after losing their home, the Redicks stayed focused on what mattered most. They’ve been reminding their sons to care more about people than stuff amidst the loss of their home and possessions. This philosophy guided their response to the tragedy, focusing on being safe instead of what they lost.
The Community Response and Support
The fire brought neighbors together, with residents supporting each other through the aftermath. “The Palisades community has just been so good to us,” Redick said while fighting back tears. “I think that’s the part for us that we’re really struggling with, is just the loss of community.”
Support for Redick came from multiple directions. His Lakers family rallied around him, with players offering emotional support during this difficult time. Guard Austin Reaves embraced Redick at practice, showing support for their coach. The NBA community also reached out, with fellow coaches and players reaching out to offer assistance.
Redick expressed being “overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and love that I’ve felt and that my family’s felt from people around the NBA, people in Los Angeles, people in the Palisades community and in our kids’ school community who’ve also lost homes.” The support helped them get through a tough time.
The Lakers organization showed understanding of the situation, worked with the NBA to postpone games right after the fires. This allowed players and staff affected by the disaster time to address their situations before returning to basketball.
Moving Forward and Rebuilding
Even after the loss, the Redicks stayed committed to rebuilding and to Los Angeles. “We’re committed as ever to Los Angeles. We recognize that it’s not just our community that’s been impacted by this,” Redick stated, adding that if “there is anything we can do to help and lead, we will. We’re still figuring that out. It’s still pretty fresh.”
Rebuilding will take time for the Redicks and the whole Pacific Palisades community. As Redick acknowledged, “We recognize it’s going to be a long process.” Residents now face rebuilding, dealing with insurance, temporary housing, and the emotional weight of starting over.
For JJ, the Lakers’ practice facility in El Segundo became a source of stability amidst the chaos. Located approximately 25 miles from Pacific Palisades, the facility offered some routine and focus while dealing with the loss and still doing his job.
Even after the trauma of losing their home, Redick showed real leadership by expressing his desire to return to coaching quickly. “I want to play tomorrow. I want to coach tomorrow. I want these guys to play tomorrow. And if we can play, we’ll play,” he stated, reflecting his commitment to the team and recognition that basketball could provide a welcome distraction for the city.
The Impact on Los Angeles Sports
The January 2025 wildfires affected not just the Redick family but the broader Los Angeles sports landscape. Several games across multiple sports were postponed or relocated due to the fires and their aftermath.
The Lakers’ scheduled home game against the Charlotte Hornets was postponed, as was their subsequent matchup against the San Antonio Spurs. The NBA worked closely with the teams and the city to determine when it would be appropriate to resume play.
The impact extended beyond basketball, with the NFL moving the Los Angeles Rams’ wild-card playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings to Glendale, Arizona. The NHL’s Los Angeles Kings also had to postpone a home game against the Calgary Flames.
The postponed games showed how deeply the fires affected Los Angeles. Sports, which typically serve as a unifying force and source of entertainment, took a backseat to the immediate needs of those affected by the disaster.
The Greater Context of the 2025 Wildfires
The fire that claimed the Redicks’ home was part of a larger crisis that devastated Los Angeles in January 2025. Multiple fires burned simultaneously across Los Angeles County, with the Palisades Fire being one of the most destructive.
In total, the fires claimed over 12,500 structures and forced more than 150,000 people to evacuate. Tragically, ten lives were lost in these blazes, emphasizing the human cost beyond property damage.
The fires didn’t spare anyone—even celebrities and public figures lost homes. Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr lost his childhood home in Pacific Palisades, where his mother still lived. Musicians, actors, and other sports figures also suffered similar losses, showing that no one was spared.
The 2025 wildfires raised questions about climate, planning, and how prepared cities are in Southern California. The unprecedented strength of the Santa Ana winds that fanned the flames made people ask if these extreme weather events are becoming more common.
Conclusion
The loss of JJ Redick’s Pacific Palisades home represents more than just the destruction of a physical structure. It embodies the disruption of family life, the erasure of tangible memories, and the dissolution of a vibrant community.
Yet, through this tragedy, the Redick family has demonstrated remarkable resilience and perspective. By focusing on gratitude for their safety and expressing commitment to helping rebuild their community, they exemplify the spirit needed to overcome such devastation.
As Pacific Palisades begins its long journey toward restoration, the Redick family’s story serves as a reminder of both the fragility of material possessions and the enduring strength of human connections. Their experience echoes that of thousands of others affected by the fires—a shared trauma that has forged new bonds among neighbors and strengthened existing relationships.
