Los Angeles Lakers to Immortalize Pat Riley With Statue Outside Downtown Arena

The Los Angeles Lakers have decided to honor former coach Pat Riley’s legacy by commissioning a statue outside their downtown arena. On Monday, the team announced plans to honor Riley, who led the “Showtime” Lakers to four NBA championships in the 1980s. Riley also won NBA championships as a player and then as an assistant coach too.

Pat Riley may now be synonymous with the Miami Heat, where he’s been a cornerstone of the franchise for nearly three decades, but his coaching story began with the Los Angeles Lakers. Riley’s connection with LA started as a player from 1970 to 1975, during which he won an NBA championship in 1972. After hanging up his sneakers, he wasted no time transitioning into coaching, joining Paul Westhead’s staff as an assistant in 1979. 

In 1981, Riley stepped into the head coach role, and the rest, as they say, is history. He steered the Lakers through their golden era, winning four NBA championships between 1982 and 1988. Dubbed the “Showtime” Lakers, his teams redefined basketball with their fast-paced, high-octane style of play. At the center of it all were Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, whose epic battles with Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics became the stuff of legend. This fierce rivalry not only captivated fans but also helped propel the NBA into a golden age of soaring viewership during the 1980s. During his tenure as LA’s head coach, the Lakers accumulated a win-loss record of 533-194, while also adding 102 playoff wins in a successful nine-season tenure. 

In an official statement, following Riley’s statue announcement, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss stated, “Pat is 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." Pat Riley is set to join an elite group of Lakers legends immortalized with statues in Star Plaza, a must-visit spot for basketball fans and tourists alike. He’ll become the eighth icon to receive this honor, standing alongside greats like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and the beloved broadcaster Chick Hearn.