Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
They say the juice has got to be worth the squeeze, and that’s certainly what JJ Redick and his wife Chelsea are teaching their kids by making them request their Christmas presents via the essay format. If you’re going to be stuck writing an essay asking for your Christmas gift, you might as well ask for something nice.
During a press conference over Christmas week, Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick — whose Lakers got crushed by the Houston Rockets during the showpiece Christmas Day game by a score of 119-96 — revealed that he and his wife had their children ask for their Christmas present with “persuasive essays.”
According to the former Duke Blue Devil, his 11-year-old son Knox asked for and received an Apple Watch, while he nine-year-old boy Kai was gifted a Meta VR headset.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick had their kids ask for their Christmas gifts by writing persuasive essays
“I thought my 9-year-old really knocked it out of the park,” Redick said before the Lakers hosted the Houston Rockets on Christmas. “A couple of his friends have one of those Meta VR headsets so he wanted one of those.”
“We realize we got to start keeping tabs on him.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.”
The Lakers are currently the fourth seed in the NBA’s Western Conference with a record of 19-10, with all ten of their losses coming by double-digits. After the loss to Houston, Redick ripped into the team for not caring enough about winning and warned them that their practice on Saturday, December 27 would be a touch one.
“We don’t care enough right now. And that’s the part that bothers you a lot. We don’t care enough to do the things that are necessary. We don’t care enough to be a professional,” the second-year head coach said.
“Saturday’s practice — I told the guys — it’s going to be uncomfortable,” Redick added. “The meeting is going to be uncomfortable. I’m not doing another 53 games like this.”
Following their Christmas night loss to the Rockets and subsequent punishment practice on Saturday, the Lakers will return to action on Sunday, December 28 with a home game against the Sacramento Kings.