J.J. Redick: All Those years ago

The Duke senior continues his quest to live a dream that began as a child in Roanoke, Va

Jonathan Clay "J.J." Redick imagined it all -- long before anyone else. Hitting big shots in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Winning Atlantic Coast Conference titles. Being a senior captain. Trying to win a national title for the No. 1-ranked Blue Devils.

Duke's 2005-06 season begins tonight at home against Boston University in the Preseason NIT.

Yeah, everything. Redick envisioned his future years ago.

It all began in Roanoke, Va., as he watched Christian Laettner catch a three-quarter court pass from Grant Hill, pivot, then hit the winning shot for Duke against Kentucky as time expired in the 1992 NCAA Tournament East Regional final.

The sight of it struck Redick right between the eyes. In that instant, the star youth baseball pitcher became a hoops junkie.

Redick marched up to his parents, Ken and Jeanie, and declared, with all the certainty a kid can muster, "I'm going to play basketball at Duke."

He was 7 years old.

Tom Hagan, one of Redick's oldest and best friends, said Redick has never acted any differently than that confident 7-year-old did that day.

"It's hard to describe J.J. in one word but 'focused' tops that list," Hagan said. "He knew what he wanted and, to get it, he always knew he had to work when other people would feel OK goofing off."

But even Redick is able to poke fun at a 7-year-old boy's prescience.

He admits: "I also visualized myself, by now, winning a national title. Haven't done that yet."

We are family

The phone rings in the Redick house and the children quietly rejoice. They're in the middle of a day of home-schooling. Mom/teacher heads off to answer the phone. Now it's time for the students to mess around.

J.J., the fifth-grader, uses his window of opportunity to sneak outside to shoot hoops, staging yet another ACC Tournament. Always casting himself in the starring role for the Duke Blue Devils, he hits game-winner after game-winner. Always a fall-away, off-balance shot with three guys guarding him. Always a 3-pointer from way downtown.

"I don't think I ever lost one in my driveway," Redick says now with a grin.

Redick didn't grow up shooting inside a gym. He grew up playing outdoors -- in rain, ice, snow and heat -- shooting at a rim and backboard that still stands on one side of the Redick's circular, gravel driveway on three tree-lined acres atop a hill.

Terri Steffen, Redick's eighth-grade English teacher at Cave Spring Middle School, even immortalized the modest hoop in a poem: "That place ... is where he goes when he hurts, when he wants to forget, or remember."

Jeanie Redick said that has always been the way J.J. operates. Her middle child loved basketball and he craved the solitude.

The family, especially older twin sisters Catie and Alyssa, now 26, understood J.J. was working on living his dream. The twins realized a similar goal after starring at Cave Spring High.

After playing basketball for only one year, the girls marched up to Ken and Jeanie and said, "We're going to college on basketball scholarships." They were 13 years old. But sure enough, they earned their scholarships and played four years at Campbell University.

"That totally inspired the whole family," Jeanie Redick said. "They've been incredible role models for their [siblings]."

J.J., of course, made good on his vow to play at Duke. David, 18, a senior three-sport athlete at Cave Spring, is being recruited by several Division I-A football teams. Abby, 14, a freshman at Hidden Valley High in Roanoke already is one of the area's best players.