The Official Site of JJ Redick

Mon, Jun 29th 2009, 11:55

Q-AND-A WITH J.J. FOR JUNE 29

Orlando Magic guard J.J. Redick celebrated his 25th birthday last week in Orlando with friends. Redick recently finished his finest season in the NBA, helping the Orlando Magic reach the NBA Finals.

The third-year shooting guard averaged 6.0 points and 1.9 assists in 16 playoff games, eight of which were starts. His best playoff performance came in the clinching Game 6 against Philadelphia when J.J. scored 15 points, hit five 3-pointers and handed out four assists.

J.J. took time out of his offseason recently to answer questions from his fans. Remember, you too, can submit a question for J.J., here at redicklive.com. We’ll sprinkle in several Question-and-Answer segments on the site here throughout the summer. Thanks for reading.

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Q: Do you talk with any of the current Duke University players? Do you keep in contact with any of the former Duke players?

J.J.: I keep in contact with a lot of former players, especially (Chris) Collins and Wojo (Steve Wojciechowski) and Chris Carrawell. And during the season I see all of the Duke guys in the NBA. We have a like a fraternity and make sure we talk before the games.

As far as the current players, I talk to Jon Scheyer a lot and he’s become one of my good friends although I never played with him. On this past year’s team, I’ve talked to Jordan Davis and Greg Paulus. They’re good guys.’’

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Q: How hard is it for you to stay close to your family when you travel so much during the season?

J.J.: It is very hard. I only get to see my family maybe three or four times a year, but it does make the time that you are with them even more special. My parents were in Orlando for Games 3 and 4 against Cleveland and again in the Finals, so it was great to spend some time with them. You just have to make the most of those opportunities. My brother and sister are still in school, so unfortunately I don’t really get to see them a lot.

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Q: Some of your poems were once published in Sports Illustrated and I read somewhere once that you would like to put out a book of poems. Is that true?

J.J.: It’s something when I get older that I would think about doing. Actually in the last few months I’ve gotten back to writing again and it’s a nice release for me.

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Q: If you could pick any game of your basketball career, college or pro, to re-play over again, which one would it be?

J.J.: Ohhhhh, that’s tough. I guess I’d say the game against LSU my senior year at Duke. That game or the one against UConn my sophomore year in the Final Four. Those two games probably hurt me the most.

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Q: What are the best drills that I can do to get my shooting form as tight as yours?

J.J.: Really, the best thing is to use your left hand and not using your left hand at all. Start in close and shoot one-handed shots around the paint. Work up enough strength and then work your way to the outside. The goal is to get that left hand to be nothing but strictly a guide hand.

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Q: Who is your best friend on the Magic and why?

J.J.: My best friend on the Magic is Adonal Foyle. It’s an odd couple, I guess you’d say. He’s much older and from the Caribbean, but somewhere along the lines this season we just became really good friends. He’s the guy I eat dinner with and go to movies with on the road. I know it sounds like we’re dating or something, but I swear that we’re not.

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OK everybody, thanks for all of the great questions and feel free to submit more. Please check back later in the week for Part II of this Q-and-A. Take care.

jj