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A Gift for Hymn

Bucks star Michael Redd bought his father a church

NBA PLAYERS oftenbestow gifts upon their parents--cars, houses, jewels--but Michael Redd reallyfound that special something for his dad. Shortly after signing a six-year, $90million contract with the Bucks last summer, the 6'6" guard bought hisfather, James, a 500-seat church in Columbus, Ohio. "That was his heart'sdesire," says Michael, 26, who as a kid played countless hours ofbasketball with his father, a former point guard at Columbus's CapitalUniversity. "When you get," says the younger Redd, "it's alwaysgood to give."

James Redd, 50,worked in a Pepsi bottling plant in Columbus, where Michael grew up with hisparents (his mother, Haji, was a schoolteacher) and his younger sister,Michelle. Shortly before Michael was born, James began studying to become aminister. In 1991, four years after he was ordained, James founded thePhiladelphia Deliverance Church of Christ (so named because Philadelphia meansbrotherly love in Greek) in a storefront in a poor neighborhood on the westside of town. There, James preached to about 25 congregants on Sundays. At age12 Michael began playing drums in the church band, and he later promised hisfather that he would make the NBA and buy him a proper church building. When heactually did it, James says, "I was shocked." Since the church moved inJune to its new location in a middle-class residential area, about 20 milesfrom the old storefront, Sunday attendance has risen to 300.

Michael hasvisited and drummed at Philadelphia Deliverance three times this season("He has to go out the back or side door," to avoid being mobbed byfans, James says), and he has used his celebrity to book three-timeGrammy-winning gospel singer Kirk Franklin to perform at the church later thisyear. Michael says he may want to take over for his father after retiring fromthe NBA--"Preaching and teaching is something I want to do." For now,James invokes Michael's journey from second-round draft pick to All-Star toinspire his congregants. Says James, "We use Michael as an example for theyoung people, to show them that if you strive for your dreams and put Godfirst, anyone can make it."

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TRACY MCGRADY'S ALL-STAR WEEKEND

Although the Houston guard alluded to personalproblems, he did what he could to represent the home team

FRIDAY
FAMILY STYLE
Among the 500 guests he hosted at Sambuca café were mom Melanise (left) andgrandma Roberta.

SATURDAY
BOOK PARTY
With actress Julianne Moore (right) T-Mac read to kids at the opening of aHouston school library.

SUNDAY
NUMBER ONE
His West team lost, but McGrady's game-high 36 points had the hometown fansjuiced. As he said, "I've been getting a lot of love."

• For expanded coverage of Tracy McGrady's All-Starweekend go to SI.com/nba.

FIFTEEN PHOTOS

LYNNE SLADKY/AP (REDD ACTION); JAMIE SABAU (JAMES REDD AND CHURCH); MICHAEL J. LEBRECHT II/1DEUCE3 PHOTOGRAPHY (MCGRADY FAMILY AND READING); SUE OGROCKI/AP (MCGRADY ACTION); DAVID BERGMAN (KWAN); NEWSPORT (HOLCOMB); ADAM LARKEY/ABC (DANCING WITH THE STARS); BRIAN BAHR/GETTY IMAGES (PARSONS); DAMIAN STROHMEYER (HEDRICK); MATTHEW STOCKMAN/GETTY IMAGES (BUTTON) JAPACK PHOTO LIBRARY/CORBIS (EGG); CHRIS DELMAS/ZUMA PRESS (NELLY)

THREE PHOTO

ILLUSTRATION