At the recent statue ceremony for legendary Los Angeles Lakers coach Pat Riley, he made a noteworthy appeal to NBA coaches: step up the game-day attire. This sentiment was echoed by ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, who believes even players like LeBron James could take a cue from Riley's sartorial standards.
Smith, known for his sharp commentary, often jokes that when he walks into an arena, he's not trying to look like a player but rather the best-dressed person in the building. He’s been vocal about the need for both players and coaches to elevate their fashion game.
"All that damn money LeBron and them making, you can’t dress better than that? I’m so happy Pat Riley brought that up…All this money y’all make, dressing like y’all shopping at Target or something." – Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/8WtWHFyvVN
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 23, 2026
"With all the money LeBron and the others are making, they should be dressing better," Smith quipped on ESPN's First Take. He praised Riley for highlighting the importance of a dress code, especially for coaches, lamenting the casual trend that’s taken over the NBA.
During Riley’s coaching heyday, he was known for his impeccable suits, a trend that’s faded as the league has embraced more relaxed styles. Nowadays, it’s common to see players like LeBron in laid-back outfits and coaches opting for pullovers and pants, a stark contrast to the suit-dominated sidelines of the past.
Meanwhile, the Lakers are facing some challenges on the court. Head coach JJ Redick took responsibility for the team's offensive struggles in their recent 111-89 loss to the Celtics.
The Lakers couldn't adjust to the Celtics' defensive strategies, something Redick acknowledged as his responsibility. "We have counters for the deep drop, and we need to execute better," Redick stated.
He pointed out that the team's struggles against this particular defense have been a recurring issue, emphasizing the need for improvement.
JJ Redick's response when asked about the Lakers' ball movement, and whether the lack of it makes them more predictable for defenses:
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) February 23, 2026
"When teams play the deep drop, we have our counters and we just got to [execute]...I took ownership of that. We have our counters for deep… pic.twitter.com/wwfRZ1OAXl
With a record of 34-22, the Lakers have dropped three of their last five games, signaling a need for both strategic adjustments and perhaps a little inspiration from Riley's playbook-both in style and substance.