One night in 1988, after winning the NBA title in seven games over the Detroit Pistons, the Los Angeles Lakers found themselves celebrating at a club in Los Angeles.
The party was intimate, featuring just Lakers players, their wives, the coaching staff and trainer Gary Vitti. But someone else was there, too: now-retired actor Jack Nicholson.
“And Jack,” former Lakers guard Byron Scott said. “That was our team. We were very tight. Very close-knit. Pat Riley wouldn’t let us have a lot of people in our inner circle. But Jack was in our inner circle.”
Actress Daryl Hannah, sister-in-law of producer Lou Adler (the club owner), was also there behind the bar with Nicholson.
Nicholson was a staple during the Showtime Lakers era, and he was recently named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a fan.
At 87 years old, Nicholson no longer goes to see the Lakers, but he certainly made a lifetime’s worth of memories during his time being around the organization when he was younger. He was able to experience multiple championships and evidently got to be a special part of the one that came in 1988.
Riley ran a tight ship with the Lakers, so the fact that he let Nicholson be a part of the team’s circle certainly says something. Ultimately, Riley was the head coach of the Lakers for nine seasons, and his tenure resulted in four NBA titles. They also made three other trips to the NBA Finals that didn’t result in rings.
These days, Riley is the president of the Miami Heat. He has helped the franchise win three NBA titles and is still chasing a fourth. Miami has had multiple trips to the NBA Finals in recent years that didn’t end in glory.
It’s fascinating that the Hall of Fame is starting to honor fans, and it stands to reason that more NBA diehards could enter the ranks in the future.
Although Nicholson never played for the Lakers or worked for them, he clearly left his mark on the organization. These days, the Lakers are looking to win an NBA title for the first time since 2020, and Nicholson is probably still keeping an eye on the team.
