Imagine having a plan to stick to in the face of an emergency and it falls apart. Exactly what happened with Dwyane Wade amid the tragedy that was LA Wildfire. During a recent episode of his The Why with Dwyane Wade podcast, the Miami Heat legend got to discussing the recent wildfires with his friend Bobby Metelus. Wade recalled having a conversation with Bob’s wife, Lisa, before things got worse.

‘The Flash’ had discussed an evacuation plan with Lisa in case things went south amid the wildfire situation. And they both agreed upon a common escape route. But when push came to shove, things didn’t go as planned.

“Soon as everything happened, y’all gotta leave. We gotta leave. Y’all [Bob, Lisa, and their family] going the opposite way… I’m like, what happened to the plan? Why y’all going into the fires and I’m going away from the fires?” Dwyane Wade said on the podcast.

Bob, however, had an explanation for the sudden change and it was all because of the help offered by Chris Paul. When there was a fire by his house and he had to evacuate, all he could remember was Chris offered him his place if needed.

“Lisa’s like looking at me like, what’s the plan? I’m like, you know what? Chris just said? I can go by his house. We going to Chris house. And he got the space. We good… But then the next day, they had to evacuate,” Bob recalled the chain of events.

According to reports, Chris Paul’s wife Jada, and their two children evacuated their home on January 11 and moved to a hotel in a safer part of Los Angeles as the fire continued to ravage California. Including his mansion in Encino, which he later sold, Paul reportedly had multiple properties in California, including a house in Woodland Hills.

So it cannot be said for sure which house CP’s wife and children had to evacuate. All we know is the tragedy had no bias in choosing its victims. Case in point: JJ Redick lost his house in the wildfire. However, despite the suffering of its own members, the NBA community didn’t back down from helping on a larger scale.

NBA Community has been making efforts to bring relief

When disaster strikes, the NBA community never fails to step up. This time, former player Byron Scott seems to be leading the charge, bringing much-needed relief to those affected by the wildfires in Los Angeles. His latest initiative, the Fairways for Fire Relief Celebrity Golf Tournament, isn’t just about teeing off—it’s about giving back.

Set to take place on February 10 at the Braemar Country Club, the event has drawn in several big names, with NBA stars and celebrities coming together for a good cause. The idea? Enjoy a day on the greens while raising funds for those in need. Scott took to Instagram to rally support, making it clear that this event is about more than just golf.

“I’m doing this for OUR HEROES! Please join me @braemarcountryclub on Monday February 10, 2025 for a Celebrity Golf Tournament to thank and raise money for our First Responders! Some of my celebrity friends and First Responders are ready to get out on the course at Braemar Country Club and meet you all,” he wrote.

However, Scott isn’t the only one using his platform for good. Vanessa Bryant, who shares a deep connection with Los Angeles, has also stepped up in times of crisis. Partnering with the non-profit Baby2Baby through the ‘Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation,’ she helped provide essential supplies—diapers, food, formula, water, clothing, blankets, and hygiene products—to vulnerable children.

And the generosity didn’t stop there. More recently, the ‘Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation’ donated 8,000 pieces of apparel and sneakers to families in need.

It’s moments like these that remind us how powerful the basketball community can be, proving that the impact of the game goes far beyond the court.