For many kids, Christmas means one thing: Santa bringing the goods. Presents pile up under the tree, wrapping paper gets shredded, and the morning kicks off with pure chaos.
But if you’re one of JJ Redick’s sons, Christmas comes with a twist. There’s homework involved. The Lakers head coach and his wife Chelsea had a different plan this year.
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Before Kai and Knox could unwrap their biggest gifts, they had to earn them. Each boy wrote a persuasive essay explaining exactly why they deserved what they wanted most. Kai, who’s 9, made his case for a high-definition virtual reality headset. Knox, 11, argued for an Apple Watch.
Both boys delivered, and both got their wish. Redick talked about it before the Lakers hosted the Houston Rockets on Christmas night. He seemed genuinely impressed with how his youngest handled the assignment.
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“I thought my 9-year-old really knocked it out of the park,” Redick said about Kai’s gift. “A couple of his friends have one of those Meta VR headsets so he wanted one of those.”
As for Knox and his new Apple Watch, Redick admitted it marks a new chapter for the family.
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“We realize we got to start keeping tabs on him,” Redick said. “Obviously, he doesn’t have a cell phone, but has a cell number now, which is a big step for him. Thought it was the coolest thing. We went on our walk this morning with the dog and he was calling all his friends.”
JJ Redick's kids, Kai and Knox. Credits: JJ Redick Instagram
Anyone who follows Redick knows how tight he is with his boys. Before taking the Lakers job, the 40-year-old even coached his son’s youth team. Between playing in the NBA and now running an NBA sideline, his schedule stays packed.
Still, Redick has always made it clear that carving out time for Chelsea and the kids is not optional.
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