The final scene, where Mr. Cunningham (Tom Bosley) offers Richie (Ron Howard) a Lifesaver candy after he missed the critical free throw, is an homage to a widely popular 1976 Lifesaver's television commercial where the father offers his son a Lifesaver candy to console him after he lost a hockey game.
Both Al Molinaro and David Ketchum were in Get Smart as agents 44 and 13 respectively, who both were the ones placed into cramped places.