LOS ANGELES — Wearing No. 8 and picture day are Deshonne Redeaux’s earliest memories of football. Saturday night was a picture day that the running back couldn’t have fathomed as a 5-year-old playing for the Carson Colts.
The Oaks Christian junior celebrated his commitment to USC in front of event photographers and gaggles of smartphone cameras at a commitment-slash-18th-birthday party in downtown Los Angeles.
“Today has been amazing,” Redeaux said. “One of the best days of my life, for sure. Every moment I have, I’m just soaking it in. I never forget these moments and these times with everybody that I love. It’s really a blessing. I’m just happy.”
Redeaux announced his commitment Saturday morning with a professionally-produced video that included Snoop Dogg as well as USC women’s basketball player and Wooden Award recipient Juju Watkins.
The spotlight was still shining on Saturday night at Surgeon Studios in downtown Los Angeles — just a short drive from USC. The two-floor venue and creative hub welcomed hundreds of guests to a party in honor of Redeaux’s commitment and 18th birthday.
@haleymsawyerOaks Christian running back Deshonne Redeaux threw a massive party to celebrate his commitment to USC and his 18th birthday. #sportsreporter #journalism #reporter #sports #football #collegefootball #usc #uscfootball #highschoolfootball #runningback
♬ Lord Knows – Drake
“We want to be differentiators, man,” Redeaux’s father, Russell, said. “This is a unique time in college sports.”
Russell’s background is in management and marketing, mostly in the music industry. He was the man behind Saturday’s activities and he sees even more opportunities to build on his son’s talent and image.
“The scholarship was always about getting the degree, which is critically important still to this day,” Russell said. “But the kids now have an opportunity to start their lives further ahead because if they’re smart, they could have investments. They can really take advantage of building their brands, ownership, intellectual property.
“Deshonne is focused on doing what he has to do on the field, but with my background and expertise, we’re going to elevate the brand and tell stories and make sure everybody knows.”
Floor-to-ceiling photos of Redeaux wearing USC colors lined a wall that led to a fully-catered dining area. Teenagers took swings on a virtual golf course in another room as a mechanical bull was set up in the main room, which had a DJ and multiple flat-screen televisions showing Redeaux’s commitment video on a loop.
Guests passed a merch area complete with T-shirt pressing on their way into the party. USC-themed designs with phrases like “greatness grows here” and “respect the west” as well as trucker caps were sold under Redeaux’s merch brand, Only the Strong Survive.
Redeaux has been taking cues from Watkins, who Russell calls a “true disrupter.” Russell and Watkins’ dad went to high school together and the families have remained close.
“She was like, just keep going and keep the main thing the main thing,” Redeaux said of the advice he got from Watkins. “Things are going to come to you, but always try to find ways to separate yourself.”
Redeaux, a four-star recruit, had 34 offers from mostly Power 5 schools after a junior season in which he rushed for 1,263 yards and 17 touchdowns in 17 games. He’s also in the midst of track and field season, running a season-best of 10.78 seconds in the 100 while leading off the 4×100 relay.
USC running backs coach Anthony Jones, Jr., general manager Chad Bowden and head coach Lincoln Riley had all recruited him. Redeaux said that at least one of them reached out once a day.
“I felt like I was already on the team,” said Redeaux, who plans to major in business and marketing. “That’s the priority they made me feel like.
“USC really made me feel like I belonged here. Just being a hometown kid and just doing the things that a lot of people can’t do in their city. If I could do it in my city, it gets no better than that.”
Redeaux’s publicist was on hand to fix his studded cuban link necklace as he prepared to show a nearly head-to-toe Chrome Hearts outfit and Balenciaga combat boots to a TMZ reporter on Saturday night. A day later, Billboard released an online story with his game day playlist.
Some Oaks Christian teammates and classmates meandered through the party as Redeaux danced on the DJ’s stage with his grandmother, who signed him up for football at 5 years old because he had so much energy.
“I just want to show my son some love, that’s all,” Russell said into the microphone as the crowd held up phones and cameras.
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