Lakers To Honor Championship Legacy with Pat Riley Statue
The Lakers honor Pat Riley with a statue, recognizing the transformational leadership that created the Showtime era and established a blueprint for organizational excellence that extends far beyond basketball.
Key Takeaways
- The Los Angeles Lakers will unveil a statue of former coach Pat Riley on Feb. 22, joining seven other Lakers legends immortalized in bronze outside Crypto.com Arena
- Riley led the Lakers through one of the most dynamic eras for any team in NBA history, posting a 533-194 (.733) record and winning four championships during the "Showtime" era (1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)
- Riley had a defining impact on the Lakers legacy, winning six total championships with the Lakers – four as head coach, one as an assistant coach (1980) and one as a player (1972)
With Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar leading an exciting team with a groundbreaking fast-break offense, the Lakers went 533-194 (.733) in Pat Riley's tenure as coach and added 102 playoff victories over nine mostly outstanding seasons. Riley revolutionized how basketball could be both entertaining and dominant, establishing principles that continue to guide the franchise today.
Owner Jeanie Buss said "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." For African American executives and entrepreneurs, Riley's approach offers valuable insights into building high-performance teams while maintaining organizational culture. His transformation from broadcaster to assistant coach to championship leader demonstrates the power of preparation, innovation, and unwavering commitment to excellence—qualities essential for any professional seeking to elevate their leadership impact.
Riley will become the eighth Lakers luminary to be honored with a statue in Star Plaza, which has become a popular tourist attraction for fans of the globally popular franchise. The unveiling against the Boston Celtics on February 22 serves as a fitting tribute to a leader who understood that true success comes from combining individual talent with collective vision—a lesson that transcends basketball and applies to boardrooms, startups, and cultural institutions across America.
