The legendary Pat Riley has been a central figure in the NBA, particularly for his achievements with the Los Angeles Lakers. Riley won the 1972 NBA Championship as a Laker, and then went on to win five more titles with the LA-based franchise as a coach (he won the 1980 title as an assistant coach). Riley was honored with his very own statue outside the Crypto.com Arena on Sunday. But he took the occasion to pay homage to another young and promising coach, JJ Redick.

Lakers legend Riley heaped praise on Redick as he spoke to reporters following today’s statue unveiling.

“I love JJ [Redick]. I really do. My teams competed against him in various teams that he played with. He’s a fiery guy. He could shoot the hell out of the ball,” Riley told reporters.

‘The Godfather’ highlighted Redick’s aggressive coaching style, gritty attitude, and the ability to go above and beyond, which is something that reminds him of his days as a young coach in the league.

“He was tough as nails…I don’t know. Sometimes I look back and I remember myself at that time and I looked at JJ and I think they picked the right person. There’s just a quality about him, I think, that goes above and beyond,” Riley added.

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Riley was regarded as the trendsetter of modern coaching in the NBA, a role Redick himself mentioned earlier today. His iconic coaching style and passion for perfection, along with the ‘showtime’ mentality, as a player, coach, and later as an executive (Miami Heat), made him a household name in America.

Riley oversaw about 727 games as Lakers coach with a 533-194 record. His best win ratio with the franchise (65-17) came in the 1986-87 season. Redick matched Riley’s rookie season record as coach, leading LeBron James & Co. to 50 wins last season.

JJ Redick and the Lakers – A Brief Recap

Redick, a former NBA sharpshooter and Duke legend, was appointed as the 29th head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers in June 2024. He had no prior coaching experience apart from youth levels, which added to the shock appeal of the appointment.

But Redick silenced his doubters in his rookie season, leading the Lakers to the playoffs with a 50-32 regular-season record. 🚨Breaking: Rob Pelinka says the Lakers have given JJ Redick a contract extension

Although he could not lead them to a conference title, he did enough to earn a four-year extension worth $32 million, which he signed in September 2025. The Lakers remain in contention for a playoff spot this year as well. They are 5th in the West with a 34-22 record as they prepare for the postseason.

Before JJ, there were a select few former players who earned an HC appointment to a major NBA team without prior league coaching experience. Doc Rivers (Orlando Magic, 1999), Larry Bird (Indiana Pacers, 1997), Mark Jackson (Golden State Warriors, 2011), and Steve Nash (Brooklyn Nets, 2020) are among the names on the list.

But the most iconic appointment remains that of Steve Kerr (GSW, 2014) – winning four titles in five NBA Finals appearances, with a 596-335 regular season record.

Time will tell if Redick can build on his strong start in Los Angeles and add his name to this distinguished list. The former Duke man has a lot to do before he can justify these Riley comparisons. Watch this space for more.