If you tuned in late to Thursday’s win over Indiana, you might have wondered who was that guy in the loud, floral-print jacket on the sideline.
Well, Lakers coach Luke Walton was one of the many across the NBA honoring late broadcaster Craig Sager, who passed away from leukemia in December 2016, by mimicking the Hall of Famer’s one-of-a-kind style.
“I got more compliments on this jacket than any one I’ve worn,” Walton said before teasing another Sager-inspired jacket for Friday’s game versus Dallas.
The Lakers’ Spectrum SportsNet broadcast team was also in on the action, as play-by-play announcer Bill Macdonald, color commentator Stu Lantz and sideline reporter Mike Trudell joined with some flair of their own.
And while LeBron James didn’t have a Sager outfit lined up, he did have some words on the impact he left on the NBA.
“He had the best style in the league, for one,” James said. “Everyone’s dressing up and trying to be stylish now. Craig had his own flair and his own style, obviously. And just his attention to detail in the games that he worked, his commitment to this league and this game.
“For so many years, it was always great to see him come into the building. Great to spend so much time with him during All-Star weekend. Obviously this league wouldn’t be what it is today without Craig.”