From the moment JJ Redick was hired as the Lakers’ head coach, he was compared to Pat Riley.
While some of it was just overzealousness and an attempt to hype the new man in charge, Redick does share some similarities with Riley.
For starters, both were former players who transitioned from the court to the media and then became Lakers head coaches with zero experience in that role.
Both also use a ton of hair products to keep their hair styled and, in their first season in charge, they each won 50 games.
Riley is obviously a tier above almost every coach in NBA history, Redick included, which is why the Lakers honored him on Sunday with a statue.
Still, Riley thinks the world of Redick and spoke highly of him during his press conference following the ceremony.
“I love JJ,” Riley said. “I really do. We competed against him. My teams competed against him in various teams that he played with. He’s a fiery guy. He can shoot the hell out of the ball. He was tough as nails. Sometimes I look back and I remember myself at that time and I look at JJ and I think they picked the right person.
“There’s just a quality about him, I think, that goes above and beyond. And they have a hell of a team for him right here, right now, with [Luka] Dončić and [Austin] Reaves, and, obviously, with LeBron [James]. I think Rob [Pelinka] will continue, along with the new ownership, to build that team, to complement those players. But they have a great opportunity and I think JJ will be a great coach for them.”
That’s high praise from Riley, and similarly, Redick has nothing but great things to say about him.
“I grew up watching ‘90s basketball and those Knicks and Heat teams and just how physical and tough-minded they were,” Redick said before LA took on the Clippers on Friday. “Then, obviously, played against Riles in Orlando when he was still coaching. Just the – the culture word is overused – but just a sustainable level of consistency that Miami has had since he’s been there
“What he was able to do as a head coach for the Lakers, I think it’s the North Star for any coach to be in one place for basically close to a decade and win a bunch of championships. That’s all we can ask for.”
Redick has a lot of work left to do to reach Riley’s level of infamy. But the respect is there, as is the love, and it’s great to see the current Lakers coach receiving so much adoration from one of the best to ever do it.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.