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Pat Riley reveals why Heat’s 2024-25 campaign made him ‘depressed’

Originally posted on NBA on ClutchPoints
By Zachary Weinberger | Last updated May 10, 2025 5:34 PM ET

MIAMI – With the Miami Heat’s season clouded with the drama involving Jimmy Butler this past year, it would also end in a frustrating sweep to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs. As the Heat look to improve this offseason, the team will also learn from the season’s failures, as president Pat Riley expressed during his end-of-season press conference.

Speaking Friday to the media, Riley would spend almost an hour answering questions about the tumultuous season Miami had with his insights. One question asked was about Riley’s passion for the game, with him being 80 years old, as the basketball icon responded without hesitation, saying there’s no question and cited the final two games of the season, making him “depressed,” showcasing his competitiveness.

“Do I have any cognitive problems here, you think, or what? I just turned 80, and I’m proud of it, and the new 80 is the new 60,” Riley said. “So, I mean, that’s how I look at it, I feel great. You know, I am competitive as hell. I’m an Irish guy, and so there’s a depressive disorder that I have by being just Irish and hating losing because it makes me miserable. When you’re miserable, you get a little bit depressed. We all have that in us. All of us have a depressive disorder, it’s when things feel bad, but I got a little depressed after those last two games.”

Pat Riley would be asked if the passion is still there at his age.

“Do I have any cognitive problems here you think or what? I just turned 80 and I’m proud of it. I feel great…I’m going to carry on and try to make this thing better.” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/9KY2fk1Yeh

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) May 9, 2025

Heat’s Pat Riley admits “humbling” playoff experience

Miami Heat president Pat Riley sits on the court for the jersey retirement ceremony for former player Udonis Haslem during halftime of the game between the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks Kaseya Center. Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Looking at the Heat being swept by the Cavs, the last two games were a sour spot in recent franchise history, especially since they lost by 37 and 51 points in Games 3 and 4, respectively, both contests being on their home floor. It was also the most lopsided playoff series in NBA history as Miami was outscored by 122 points.

With a performance like that to cap off the season, it could prompt the Heat to look themselves in the mirror and reflect on what needs to improve. Riley would call the outings “humbling” and even said that “there’s no doubt there has to be some change.”

“I think we do have to make changes,” Riley said. “There’s no doubt there has to be some change. And so until you change the way you go about doing the things that you do to win, if you don’t win, you have to go about making changes to make sure that you can win. I don’t know if that makes sense to you or not, but change is the highest form of sanity. It’s in the present moment right now.”

“We know what we have to do, we know what we just experienced, we were not that team in games three and four,” Riley continued. “We were not that team. The score said differently…I think those two losses are humbling, and they might have put the final nail in thinking that we have to tear everything apart and rebuild. We’ve never done that.”

Pat Riley says the team “has to make changes” coming off the season and sweep to Cleveland. Says the two last losses were “humbling.” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/UvpIVYTkFD

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) May 9, 2025