- Continuity and Loyalty: While demanding, Riley is also known for fostering a sense of family within his teams. Many of his former players and assistants have gone on to successful coaching careers, creating a "Riley coaching tree."
Riley's influence on the game is also evident in the tactical innovations he introduced or popularized. These include the use of the "thumb-down" offensive set, which created mismatches for his star players, and defensive strategies like aggressive trapping and hedging on pick-and-rolls.