New Orleans Pelicans: J.J. Redick on Beets and Kings of Leon Tattoos

J.J. Redick, the opinionated sharpshooter of the New Orleans Pelicans, talks beets, bad tattoos and helping the people of New Orleans.

The New Orleans Pelicans have been doing everything they can to keep fans entertained, and that includes J.J. Redick, who recently gave an interesting interview with Pelicans.com

The interview, which was conducted by Jim Eichenhofer, is part of the “Off the Court” series that helps fans get to know their favorite players.

Redick and his wife Chelsea have been helping Smoothie King Center employees during the hiatus, as well as the New Orleans community at large through their partnership with Lineage Logistics.

Redick answered a number of questions, including what it is like to host your own podcast while being an introvert, his favorite food in New Orleans (wood-fired oysters) and his favorite baseball player (Manny Ramirez.)

Redick then went on to talk about his love of superfoods, especially beets. Redick gushed over the sweet, red roots, which apparently give you superpowers when it comes to 3-point shooting.

Redick said:

"“But the one food I eat a ton of, especially during the season, is beets. I eat beets every day during the season, and I drink crystallized beet powder before every game. I’m a big beet guy. Big beet guy.”"

But the most interesting part of the interview was when Redick started talking about his tattoos.

His left sleeve has very serious religious meaning to Redick, with four ancient symbols of Christianity representing the Gospels.

But it also has the gospel of Kings of Leon.

Redick explains:

"“These were symbols that the early church developed 2,000 years ago. Then next to it I have a random song lyric, which was there before the sleeve, and I wish I could get that lasered off (now), because I don’t even listen to this band anymore that has this song. (When I look at it now), it’s like, ‘What?’ At one time I met the drummer from the band and I was like, ‘Hey man, how are you? No, I don’t have your song lyric on my arm permanently! I don’t have that!”"

Eichenhofer then did the big reveal to tell us exactly who this band is. Has to be one of the all-time greats, right?  Wrong.

Eichenhofer added this note:

"“(…Various tattoo websites have noted that the band and song lyric related to that particular ink is Kings of Leon)”"

Ouch. That tattoo hurts in more ways than one.

As a holder of several “old” tattoos myself, I can sympathize, but Redick broke the first rule of tattoos which states, “Never get a band tattoo when you are young.”

This is how you avoid having “I am the lizard king!” tattooed across your chest or a lower back tattoo with a band portrait of N Sync.

As someone who loathes Kings of Leon, I would have probably kept that one a secret if I were Redick.

I won’t begrudge J.J. Redick his beets or bad tattoos as long as he keeps knocking down 3-pointers at the 4th best percentage in the league.

Redick’s funny and thoughtful answers show why he is one of the leaders of the New Orleans Pelicans on and off the court.