Lakers Coach JJ Redick and Kentucky Derby-Winning Jockey Mario Gutierrez Lose Their Homes to Devastating Wildfires

LOS ANGELES—With the fierce winds that ignited the deadly fires in the Los Angeles area subsiding, members of the sports community are now grappling with the aftermath.

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealed on Friday that his family lost their rented residence in a fire in Pacific Palisades this week.

“I don’t think I’ve cried or screamed like that in years,” he stated following practice.

The NBA has postponed the home games scheduled for Saturday for both the Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers in response to the wildfires.

The Lakers were set to face San Antonio, while the Clippers were to host Charlotte. No rescheduled dates have been announced, and the league did not indicate whether additional games—both teams are set to play again at home on Monday and Wednesday—will be affected.

“The NBA, along with the Clippers and Lakers organizations, have been in touch with local officials in Los Angeles and Inglewood about the current situation in the region, and the game postponements ensure that no resources are diverted from the wildfire response efforts,” the league stated.

Redick mentioned that the house was destroyed on Tuesday while the Lakers were away. His wife, Chelsea, and their two sons were safe outside the neighborhood.

NFL

The staff at the Arizona Cardinals stadium have been working tirelessly in recent days to prepare for an NFL playoff game on short notice. The LA Rams vs. Minnesota Vikings wild-card game has been relocated from Inglewood, California, due to the devastating fires impacting the Los Angeles area.

One of the greatest challenges: recruiting sufficient staff to fill the 3,500 positions required to stage a game, including food service workers and parking attendants. There are also logistical challenges in painting the field in Rams’ colors and updating multimedia for the stadium’s videoboards.

The goal is to make State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, resemble SoFi Stadium, home of the Rams, as much as possible. Mark Dalton, Cardinals vice president of media relations, expressed the franchise’s willingness to assist their divisional rivals, particularly given the circumstances.

“So many people are working to make this a reality,” Dalton remarked. “It’s truly a collaborative effort.”

Meanwhile, the NFL community is pledging $5 million to aid communities afflicted by the wildfires.

Individual donations from teams and ownership groups, including the Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Houston Texans, and NFL Foundation, will support local organizations.

Commissioner Roger Goodell stated that the league is “heartbroken” over the devastation in the LA area and “inspired” by the bravery of first responders and residents assisting each other.

The Rams are backing the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, benefiting both the city and LA County Fire, along with the American Red Cross. The Kroenke family, owners of the Rams, is contributing $1 million through their foundation to the LAFD Foundation.

The Chargers are supporting the Red Cross, LAFD Foundation, Team Rubicon, and pet rescue organizations.

On Saturday and Monday, players, coaches, and staff from the Chargers and Rams will be wearing team-specific LAFD hats and shirts. These items will be available for sale, with proceeds from Chargers apparel going to the LAFD Foundation and Rams sales benefiting both the LAFD Foundation and Red Cross.

Game-worn jerseys and selected game-used footballs from both wild-card games will be auctioned on NFL Auction, with proceeds going to the Red Cross.

The Minnesota Vikings and the Wilf Family Foundations are making a matching $1 million contribution to support relief efforts on the ground. The Houston Texans are also donating $1 million, with the NFL Foundation matching that amount.

College Basketball

The top-ranked UCLA will not play on Sunday after Northwestern opted not to travel to Los Angeles.

The Wildcats will also miss their game on Wednesday against JuJu Watkins and No. 4 USC.

Northwestern cited ongoing concerns about the wildfires affecting the greater Los Angeles area for their decision.

UCLA has confirmed that there is no immediate danger to its Westwood campus from the fires. Based on air quality data, the university is permitting indoor and outdoor activities.

UCLA offered Northwestern the option of relocating the game to another venue, but the Wildcats chose to remain at home.

The Big Ten is exploring options to reschedule the games.

USC is still set to host Penn State on Sunday, with the Nittany Lions visiting UCLA on Wednesday.

UCLA coach Cori Close and assistant Tony Newnan have residences near the edge of the evacuation zone for the Palisades fire.

“We’ve been very fortunate that the winds changed direction,” she noted on Friday.

Several players on the Bruins are from out-of-state or international locations, but they have been feeling anxious.

“There’s definitely some anxiety, without a doubt,” Close acknowledged.

Pepperdine has altered the timing for its men’s and women’s basketball doubleheader against Loyola Marymount on Saturday.

The women’s game will commence at 1 p.m. PDT, followed by the men’s game at 4:30 p.m. at Firestone Fieldhouse.

Access to the Malibu campus above the Pacific Ocean is restricted from the north, and the Pacific Coast Highway south remains closed due to the Palisades fire.

NHL

The Los Angeles Kings’ home game versus Calgary on Wednesday was the first major sporting event to be delayed due to the fires.

Kings forward Trevor Moore, the only California native on the team, witnessed the wildfires burning below while their plane took off Thursday for Winnipeg at the start of a five-game trip.

“It’s undoubtedly challenging,” Moore remarked on Friday prior to the Kings’ match against the Jets. “I open my Instagram and see numerous friends from my childhood who have lost family homes, so it’s something I think about. It’s a tough situation.”

The Kings will wear helmet stickers to honor the LAFD.

“It’s devastating,” said Moore, who hails from Thousand Oaks. “The idea of losing your childhood home in such a manner—something that holds so many memories—is unimaginable. You lose cherished keepsakes and photographs that were so meaningful to you. It’s difficult to comprehend.”

Horse Racing

Santa Anita Park, housing over 1,800 horses, has not been in immediate danger from the fires, although air quality has been affected by the Eaton fire.

Nonetheless, the racing community has felt the impact.

Jockey Mario Gutierrez, a two-time Kentucky Derby winner, lost his home in the blaze, according to his agent, Mike Ciani.

Several trainers were compelled to evacuate their residences and remain without power.

“Still, what we’re enduring pales in comparison to what some of these other families are facing,” trainer Tim Yakteen stated on Friday. “We’re incredibly fortunate.”

Friday’s 10-race program has already been postponed to next Thursday. Track officials indicated that racing will resume Saturday, contingent on air quality standards being met.

Soccer

U.S. Soccer is relocating its January training camp for the U.S. women’s team and the Future Camp for emerging USWNT prospects to Florida due to the LA fires.

The camps, which will incorporate 50 players, are scheduled to take place from Jan. 17-23 at the Inter Miami CF’s Florida Blue Training Center in Fort Lauderdale.

“The safety of our players and staff is our utmost priority, and with the ongoing fires, numerous areas under a state of emergency, and uncertain air quality next week, we decided to move the camps,” stated U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker.

Swimming

USC has canceled its outdoor swimming competition against UC San Diego on Saturday due to potential air quality issues in downtown Los Angeles.