$5.8B former LA mayoral candidate heaps praise on JJ Redick for Palisades rebuilding after tragic wildfire - "On his way to Russia now"

LA Lakers coach JJ Redick is taking the next step in his efforts to help the Pacific Palisades recover from January's devastating wildfire. Redick is teaming up with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and billionaire businessman Rick Caruso to rebuild the Palisades Recreation Center.

On Thursday, Redick unveiled his public-private partnership with Bass and Caruso. The former NBA sharpshooter, who lost his rental home in the Palisades Fire, noted that his sons frequented the recreation center before it was destroyed. He added that it was a pillar of the community, where his family settled after he was hired by the Lakers last summer.

"It was a place that my family and I spent nearly every day," Redick said. "Our kids playing flag football, basketball, baseball, meeting friends after school. It was a place for them to grow, to create friendships, and it was a place for everyone in this community to be together."

According to Redick, in late March, he kickstarted the LA Strong Sports Foundation, dedicated to developing Los Angeles' sports and recreation facilities and programs.

Caruso, worth $5.8 billion (per Forbes) and his organization Steadfast LA, will work with Redick's foundation and Bass' local government to reconstruct the recreation center. Redick added that the trio came together after he reached out to them when the wildfire was ongoing.

Bass and Caruso have been critical of one another in recent years, dating back to when Bass defeated Caruso in Los Angeles' 2022 mayoral election. During Thursday's press conference, Caruso quipped that after uniting them, Redick is set to resolve international conflict next.

"He's on his way to Russia now," Caruso said, eliciting a laugh out of Redick.

There is reportedly no cost projection for their rebuilding initiative. However, Caruso estimates that it will take at least 18 to 24 months for the community center to be finished.

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JJ Redick on importance of Pacific Palisades restoration efforts

During Thursday's announcement, JJ Redick spoke about what the ability to give back to the Pacific Palisades means to him. The rookie coach underscored his desire to witness community "healing" in the aftermath of shared tragedy.

"It's an important step in the right direction," Redick said. "I think Mayor Bass used the word 'healing.' I think for anyone who has lost anything — obviously my family lost our home, we lost all our belongings — we want to heal. But I think it's important to heal together, and I think it's important to come together."

Redick's recreation center restoration project comes as he is gearing up for his first playoff run with the Lakers. With two outings remaining, they sit third in the Western Conference (49-31), battling to secure their seeding, putting a lot on Redick's plate.

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