Pat Riley to be honored by Lakers with statue outside Crypto.com Arena

Pat Riley will become the eighth purple and gold icon to be honored with a statue in Star Plaza, which is right outside the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles. This Monday, the organization confirmed that they wish to celebrate the head coach who won four titles in the 80s and two others as a player and assistant. 

The 79-year-old, who made his mark during the era of the Showtime Lakers, has now been part of the Miami Heat club for the past three decades. However, he started out playing in L.A. from 1970 to 1975, earned his way to become a team broadcaster, before becoming an assistant coach in 1979.

“Pat is a Lakers icon,” Lakers owner Jeanie Buss said this week. “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.”

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

The executive believes that today’s Lakers are still feeding off from what they achieved during Riley’s era. “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,” he concluded her statement.

Rookie Lakers coach JJ Redick, who many around the purple and gold organization have compared him to Riley for his intensity and charm, also applauded the club’s initiative to commemorate one of the greatest tacticians of all time.

“Deserved,” he said, before adding that he recently watched the Hulu documentary Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers, in which Pat is a part of. “He’s a legend in the game of basketball. And obviously did a lot for this franchise. … So I’m very happy for him. Well deserved.”

The others Lakers icons who have been honored with a statue next to their arena are KArimb Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal and broadcaster Chick Hearn.

A Lakers legend also shared his enthusiasm for the honouring of Riley in Los Angeles, and calls him the “greatest coach” in NBA history

Magic Johnson was a very important part of the Lakers’ Showtime era, which was led under Riley’s leadership. This is why the Hall of Famer was one of the first to take his thoughts to social media and praise the purple and gold organization for this initiative.

“Congratulations to, in my opinion, the greatest coach to ever grace the NBA! A huge thank you to Jeanie Buss for making this moment possible. All of his Showtime players are thrilled to see this well-deserved statue come to life!” he posted on his X platform on Monday.

There’s a reason why the Kaseya Center’s court has also been named after him, as the South Beach organization decided to conmemorate their president on opening night. “Thirty years, three championships, countless moments — none of it would have been possible without Pat Riley at the helm of the ship.

“Pat has accomplished so much for this franchise and this city that it’s only fitting his name is forever etched on the hardwood where every day we will be reminded of his impact on the game and the Heat,” said part owner and managing general partner Micky Arison in a statement.