The Los Angeles Lakers plan to construct a statue of former coach Pat Riley outside their downtown arena.
On Monday, the Lakers revealed that they have commissioned a statue to honor the coach who won four championships with the 1980s “Showtime” Lakers in Star Plaza. Riley won championship rings for the Lakers as both a player and an assistant coach.
Riley, 79, has spent the last three decades as a coach and executive for the Miami Heat, but his NBA roots are still firmly planted with the Lakers. He played with Los Angeles from 1970 to 1975, then served as a team broadcaster before becoming Paul Westhead’s assistant in 1979.
He took over as head coach in 1981, leading the Lakers through one of the most exciting moments in NBA history. With Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar leading an entertaining team with a game-changing fast-break offense, the Lakers finished 533-194 (.733) during Riley’s tenure, adding 102 postseason victories over nine mainly successful seasons.
“Pat is a Lakers icon,” team owner Jeanie Buss said in a statement. “His professionalism, passion to his trade, and game preparation paved the way for the coaching we see in the NBA today. Pat’s dedication and ability to unite quality players into a championship squad impressed my father. Pat’s and the Lakers’ 1980s basketball strategy is the foundation for the organization today: an entertaining and winning team.
Riley will be the ninth Lakers legend to be honored with a statue in Star Plaza, which has become a popular tourist attraction. Others include Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and broadcaster Chick Hearn.
Riley went on to coach the New York Knicks for four seasons until becoming Heat president and head coach in 1995. He has been Miami’s president ever since, and he won another NBA title in 2006 during his two stints as Heat head coach.
