Pat Riley has been a central figure in nearly 25% of all NBA Finals appearances, whether as a player, coach, or executive. While his influence on the Miami Heat is unparalleled, his time with the Los Angeles Lakers left an indelible mark. To honor his legacy, the franchise will immortalize Riley with a statue in the iconic Star Plaza outside Crypto.com Arena.
“One of the greatest coaches of all time. The Lakers are proud to announce Pat Riley’s legacy will be cemented and his statue will find a home on Star Plaza,” the franchise revealed on its official social media accounts.
Riley’s journey with the Lakers began as a player from 1970 to 1975, where he was part of the 1972 championship-winning team. However, his most significant contributions came as a coach. After serving as Paul Westhead’s assistant for two years, Riley was named head coach in 1981, ushering in a decade of dominance that cemented his place in NBA history.
On Wednesday, the Lakers released a video featuring Magic Johnson delivering the news to Riley. In the clip, Riley’s emotions were evident as he expressed his gratitude: “I’m just a kid from Schenectady, New York, and here I am going to have a statue with the Lakers… I can’t believe it.”
Los Angeles Dodgers part owner and former Los Angeles Laker Magic Johnson (R) talks with Miami Heat President and former Lakers head coach Pat Riley during the game with the San Francisco Giants on August 22, 2012 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.
Riley later posted a message through the Miami Heat’s social media accounts, reflecting on his time with the Lakers and the honor of being commemorated: “One of my first messages to the team was ‘The journey of a thousand miles starts with our first step. Where it takes you, is up to us.’ And it took us to five championships in the 80’s with the Showtime Lakers,” Riley wrote. “It was a hell of a journey and the fact that it’s ending up with the arrival of a statue is mind blowing to me. I’d like to thank Jeanie and the entire Buss family for this honor.”
The Showtime Lakers
Riley’s appointment as head coach in 1981 marked the beginning of a historic era for the Lakers. Known as the “Showtime Lakers,” his teams, led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, captivated fans with their fast-paced, electrifying style of play.
Under Riley’s leadership, the Lakers won four NBA championships, reached three additional Finals, and became a cultural phenomenon. This dominance solidified his legacy as one of the greatest coaches in league history and more than justifies the honor of a statue.
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A special year for Riley
The Lakers’ announcement is one of two major tributes Riley has received this year. Earlier this season, the Miami Heat named their court at Kaseya Center in his honor, recognizing his nearly 30 years of service to the franchise.
Riley’s impact on the Heat is monumental. As president, he has overseen all six of the team’s NBA Finals appearances, was the head coach for their first championship in 2006, and has guided Erik Spoelstra during his tenure, which produced titles in 2012 and 2013.
Spoelstra praises Riley
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra praised Riley upon learning of the Lakers’ announcement. During a press conference, Spoelstra reflected on Riley’s transformative influence on professional basketball: “Those Showtime Lakers are iconic. The image of a professional basketball coach, he just totally changed it in the 80s and made it something people thought was, like, ‘Hey, that’d be really cool to do.’”
Spoelstra added: “I think it’s a saying he used to say: ‘You don’t want to be just the best at what you do, you want to be the only one that does what you do.’ And that’s Pat to a tee. I’m really glad to hear the Lakers are doing this. It’s going to be a pretty special moment.”
