Michael Redd

When a pro athlete makes it big in his sport, it's not unusual for him to buy his parents a house. But when NBA star Michael Redd landed a huge contract with the Milwaukee Bucks last year, he made a slightly different purchase: He bought his dad a house of worship.

Last summer, a few months before his dad's 50th birthday, Redd purchased a church building for James Redd, pastor of Philadelphia Deliverance Church of Christ, a nondenominational fellowship in the family's hometown of Columbus, Ohio. James and his wife, Haji, now have a building that seats 500. Their congregation previously worshiped out of storefronts and basements.

"Their ministry was growing," Redd, 26, told Today's Christian. "It was time to relocate. The first thing that came to my mind was blessing God with a place where people could come to worship. I love my mom and dad, but this was more for the kingdom of God.

"We're able to help the people in that Columbus neighborhood," he adds. "We can do more with this church. It's been a blessing in so many ways."

As word leaked out about Redd's purchase, the sports media took note of his unusual gesture. Sports Spectrum magazine, a Christian publication, applauded the 6-foot-6 shooting guard, saying: "Now, that's putting that nba money to a good cause."

An ESPN.com columnist added playfully: "Thanks for sticking it to every son with a father… . Now the rest of us look like total slackers."

Redd confesses that at first he "wasn't too excited about letting out" the news. "But after praying about it, the Lord told me, 'It's about Me and not about you. It's about Me being glorified.'"

In August 2005, after leading the Bucks in scoring and landing as the 11th best in the NBA, Redd signed a six-year, $91-million deal to stay in Milwaukee. His contract was the most lucrative in Bucks history.

Redd declined to disclose exact figures, but those familiar with the church purchase say he wrote a check in the millions, ESPN.com reported.

Although Redd may have a lot of money and fame, his father says he hasn't changed one bit. "It's like he was still in high school," James told The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "That money doesn't mean anything to him. It's nice to have, that's all."

Ervin Johnson, who was part of a team Bible study group led by Redd, said his teammate is a great role model. "If I had a son, I would want him to be like Michael," Johnson told the newspaper. "He stands for doing it the right way. He listens. He wants to learn. He's humble. He's a God-fearing man."

Redd credits his dad for teaching him how to play basketball and how to pray.

"The values we instilled in him were to put God first in your life and family second," James Redd told the Journal Sentinel. "Treat people the way you want to be treated. What I'm most proud of is that he's a gentleman off the court and he never says anything negative about anyone, ever."

Redd, who speaks to his dad at least twice a week, says his father is his spiritual mentor.

"Being a pastor's son has so many advantages," he says. "But the one thing I had to learn was to develop my own relationship with Jesus Christ and not piggyback on Mom's and Dad's."

Redd stayed busy this summer. He accepted an invitation to join the national basketball team, in hopes of ultimately returning U.S.A. basketball to Olympic glory. But more important, in August he married Achea Williams, a fellow pastor's kid, in Columbus. He says he's ready for the commitment, after watching his parents' 30 years of marriage.

"I've seen and learned a lot from them," he says. "One thing Dad told me is, 'Make sure your marriage is on the foundation of Jesus Christ.'"

So does Redd see himself preaching like his father?

"It's inevitable," he admits. "But God has not said go yet. I'm just flowing and letting God lead my steps."

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