The Los Angeles Lakers have announced that legendary coach Pat Riley will be honoured with a statue at Star Plaza outside of crypto.com Arena, Afrosport reports.
Riley famously won four championships in the 1980s with what was known as the “Showtime” Lakers that was headlined by players like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Riley also won championship rings with the Lakers as a player and an assistant coach.
He will become the eighth Lakers luminary to be honored with a statue in Star Plaza alongside famous names like Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.
“Pat is a Lakers icon,” Lakers president Jeanie Buss said on the Lakers website. “His professionalism, commitment to his craft and game preparation paved the way for the coaching we see across the league today.
“My dad [Jerry Buss] recognised 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.”
One of the greatest coaches of all time — The Lakers are proud to announce Pat Riley’s legacy will be cemented and his statue will find a home on Star Plaza pic.twitter.com/bHkjarx8CV
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) November 18, 2024
Riley has been part of the Miami Heat for the past three decades as a coach and president and has won three championships in these positions in 2006, 2012 and 2013.
