It took 36 years, but Pat Riley has finally received the recognition many felt he deserved from the Los Angeles Lakers. The team unveiled a statue of the legendary coach outside Crypto.com Arena, and Riley responded with a heartfelt message of gratitude to the franchise.
After a nine-year playing career, Riley began coaching as an assistant to Paul Westhead with the Lakers in 1979. He took over as head coach in 1981 and remained until 1990.
Widely regarded as the architect of the Lakers’ 1980s dynasty, Riley helped usher in the iconic Showtime era.
His record with the Lakers speaks for itself:
- 533-194 overall record
- 73.3% winning percentage
- 7 NBA Finals appearances
- 4 championships
- NBA Coach of the Year (1990)
- 8-time All-Star coach
Such accomplishments made a statue inevitable, even if the honor arrived decades later.
Riley’s gratitude to the Lakers
On Sunday, the Lakers unveiled Riley’s statue in front of Crypto.com Arena. The ceremony drew numerous franchise legends, including Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and LeBron James.
Afterward, Riley expressed his appreciation: “I’m so grateful. I really am. It’s beyond gratitude,” he told Khobi Price of the New York Post.
“I’m honored to be recognized alongside those giants whose shoulders I stood on, and who carried me,” Riley added.
Following his Lakers tenure, Riley coached the New York Knicks from 1991 to 1995 and the Miami Heat from 1995 to 2003, returning from 2005 to 2008. He has since served as president of the Heat.
Riley joins seven other Lakers legends
Riley becomes only the eighth figure in Lakers history to be honored with a statue.
The others include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and longtime broadcaster Chick Hearn.
