Lakers Announce Date for Legendary Coach’s Statue

Riley is best known for shepherding the “Showtime Lakers” toward four championships in the eighties (1982, ‘85, ‘87, ‘88), including two against the Celtics (‘85 and ‘87). He holds a 533-194 regular season record with LA, as well as a postseason showing of 102-47. Just before taking the reins, he served as an assistant coach of the 1979-80 team, who won the title over Julius Erving and the Philadelphia 76ers.

As a player, Riley spent a little over five seasons in the Purple and Gold (1970-75), averaging 7.8 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists across 296 regular season games. He was a member of the 1971-72 championship team that boasts the longest winning streak in NBA history (33 games). His foray into coaching was preceded by a brief stint in the broadcast booth, where he was a color commentator next to the illustrious Chick Hearn.

After his storied journey in Los Angeles, Riley went on to coach the New York Knicks and Miami Heat, leading the latter to a title in 2006.

Jeanie Buss’ Comments on the Pat Riley Statue

In a November statement from when the honor was first announced, Lakers governor Jeanie Buss called Riley a “Lakers icon”:

“His professionalism, commitment to his craft and game preparation paved the way for the coaching we see across the league today. My dad recognized Pat’s obsession and ability to take talented players and coalesce them into a championship team. The style of basketball Pat and the Lakers created in the ’80s is still the blueprint for the organization today: an entertaining and winning team.”

Could Another Lakers Coach Be Next?

The update surrounding Pat Riley’s statue may only fuel rumors that another legend is next. In December, NBA insider Marc Stein said the Lakers have plans for a statue of Phil Jackson:

“Another rumble about down-the-road matters: The Lakers’ recent announcement that they have begun work on a statue for Pat Riley to be erected outside Crypto.com Arena is believed to be a prelude to an eventual announcement about a statue for Phil Jackson. Riley coached the Lakers to four championships in the 1980s; Jackson coached the Lakers to five in two stints with L.A.”

There have been no updates since then, and it’s unlikely that Riley’s statue accelerates that announcement. However, it’s encouraging to see the Lakers honor their past while building their future.