JJ Redick is officially hanging up his jersey, but he wishes that his career could have played out differently with one particular ex-teammate.
During the latest episode of his “The Old Man and the Three” podcast, Redick revealed that he had an emotional moment with his former LA Clippers teammate Chris Paul before publicly announcing his retirement from the NBA. Redick said that his inner circle knew he was retiring but that he felt he had one last phone call to make.
“I had this, like, weird feeling,” said Redick. “I was like, ‘I feel like I need to make one more call.’ And I realized who that call was. It was Chris. I called Chris, and I don’t wanna get emotional, but I called him.
“I told him what was happening,” Redick went on. “What I said to him was, ‘The only thing I would change about my career in terms of an outcome, I wish I had won a championship. If there was one person that I played with in my career that I could win that championship with, it was you.’ And I mean that sincerely. I wish it was Chris.”
Redick and Paul were the Clippers’ starting backcourt for four seasons during the team’s “Lob City” days. It was an era of regular season success but playoff failure as those Clippers never made it past the second round.
Not all of Paul’s former Clipper teammates hold him in high regard. But Redick obviously has a very meaningful connection with Paul that will last well beyond their playing days.
