The city of Los Angeles paid the highest tribute to one of its most iconic figures this Sunday. The Los Angeles Lakersunveiled an eight-foot bronze statue in honor of Pat Riley at the Star Plaza at Crypto.com Arena, recognizing his fundamental role as the strategist who defined the “Showtime” era in the 1980s.
The ceremony, held on the same day the Lakers faced their historic rivals, the Boston Celtics, brought together legends such as Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy.
Riley, sporting his trademark style, now joins the franchise’s select group of immortals who have a statue, alongside names such as Jerry West, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.
“I feel that in everything I’ve done, I’ve been blessed. I was surrounded by greatness,” Riley said after unveiling his statue.
A calculated and demanding leader
Riley’s career with the Lakers was marked by boldness and a relentless work ethic. Byron Scott recalled a key moment after winning the 1987 Finals against Boston, when Riley grabbed the microphone at the Forum in Inglewood and made a proclamation that stunned his own players: “I guarantee everyone here that next year we’re going to win again.”
According to Scott, that statement was purely strategic: “What it did was, subconsciously, it got us thinking about that… We all started training earlier than we normally do when we win a championship.”
James Worthy added that the coach always found a way to extract the maximum from every athlete: “He would always take [the towel] and squeeze one more drop out of you. He’d say, ‘No, there are a couple more drops in you.'”
Lakers majority owner Jeanie Buss praised his cultural impact: “As the stylish leader of the Showtime Lakers, Pat Riley became the epitome of an era.”
Pat Riley’s legacy: Statistics and achievements with the Lakers
Pat Riley not only brought style and swagger to the league; his numbers back him up as one of the most dominant coaches in NBA history:
- Championships as head coach: 4 titles (1982, 1985, 1987, 1988).
- NBA Finals appearances: 7 in his 9 years leading the team.
- Total rings with the Lakers: 6 (1 as a player in 1972, 1 as an assistant in 1980 and 4 as head coach).
- Historic milestone: First coach to achieve back-to-back titles in nearly 20 years (1987-1988).
- Status: He is the eighth member of the Lakers organization to receive a statue at Star Plaza.
Riley’s statue now stands alongside those of the select club that includes Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Chick Hearn, Shaquille O’Neal, Elgin Baylor and Kobe Bryant.
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