Lakers reveal statue honoring iconic former coach Pat Riley
LOS ANGELES — Renowned Lakers coach Pat Riley was commemorated with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena on Sunday. The nearly 8-foot tall, 510-pound bronze sculpture captures the famously fashionable Riley in his signature attire: a Giorgio Armani suit.
The Hall of Fame coach, who currently serves as the Miami Heat’s team president and last coached in 2008 after 24 seasons with the Lakers, New York Knicks, and Heat, mentioned that he would still don suits if he were coaching today.
“I wish it reverted back to coats and ties,” Riley remarked regarding the NBA coaches’ current dress code of team-issued polos, quarter-zips, and sweaters. “I believe an audience prefers to see someone on the sidelines who embodies a leader’s appearance, attire, and demeanor.”
The league adopted the more casual dress code during the 2020 bubble and has maintained it, with the NBA Coaches Association voting to uphold the relaxed style since then.
The statue, which depicts Riley raising his right fist high in the air — a gesture associated with the “Showtime” Lakers signaling Magic Johnson to pass the ball to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for his iconic skyhook throughout the 1980s — immortalizes his fashion sense, showcasing not only an Armani suit but also a crocodile leather belt.
The attendees present for the statue’s unveiling prior to the Lakers’ matchup against the Boston Celtics highlighted Riley’s iconic status beyond the basketball court.
Seated on the dais alongside Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar, Dwyane Wade, and Lakers acting owner Jeanie Buss was acclaimed actor Michael Douglas, who disclosed that the slicked-back hairstyle he wore for his role as Gordon Gekko in “Wall Street” was inspired by Riley.
“I was with Pat, we went to Miami, driving in his red convertible Mercury with the top down,” Douglas recounted. “I was in the backseat, observing Pat driving, and I thought, ‘His hair isn’t moving! This is a convertible!’ So, I decided that was the look I wanted for Gekko.”
Riley coached the Lakers from 1981 to 1990, securing four championships in 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988 — the last title coming after he famously guaranteed a repeat victory at the ’87 championship parade.
He is the eighth Laker to receive a statue on Star Plaza, joining the ranks of Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant, Chick Hearn, Shaquille O’Neal, Jerry West, Johnson, and Abdul-Jabbar.
“I don’t know how I arrived at this point, but here I am with a statue outside,” Riley expressed. “And I am immensely thankful. I truly am. It’s beyond gratitude. I feel honored to be recognized and to stand alongside those who are the giants whose shoulders I stood upon, and they supported me. They made it happen. And here I am today.”
The base of the statue features an inscription: “There will come a time when you are challenged, and when that time comes, you must plant your feet. You must stand firm. You must make a point. About who you are, what you do, and where you come from. When that time comes, you do it.”
Riley also discussed a couple of current Lakers, LeBron James and JJ Redick, during a pregame news conference.
He recruited James to join the Heat, forming a trio with Wade and Chris Bosh in 2010.
“I believed that assembling the big three — Dwyane, Chris Bosh, and especially LeBron — meant we had finally created what I thought could evolve into a dynasty,” Riley stated. “It was an incredible run, with four consecutive trips to the Finals and two world championships. As a coach, I envisioned how to construct that specific team, and I recognized something that could have endured for eight to ten years. However, I understood… the business in the NBA is what it is, and players have the chance to explore other options. He went to Cleveland and won a title there. So, I wish him nothing but success. But I will be selfish and say, I wish I had him for another six or eight years. That would have been fantastic, but we will never know.”
Riley, the 13th coach in Lakers history, also expressed support for Redick, who is the 32nd.
“I have great admiration for JJ, I truly do,” Riley remarked. “He’s a passionate individual. He can shoot exceptionally well. He was incredibly tough… Sometimes I reflect on my own past and see JJ, and I believe they selected the right person. There’s a quality about him that stands out. They have an excellent team around him right now with [Luka] Dončić, [Austin] Reaves, and of course LeBron. I think Rob [Pelinka] will continue to build that team under the new ownership to complement those players. They have a significant opportunity, and I believe JJ will be an outstanding coach for it.”
