Los angeles: The Los Angeles Lakers, a prominent team in the NBA, unveiled a statue of Pat Riley in front of their downtown arena to honor the legendary head coach who led the team to great success during its golden era.
According to Thai News Agency, the statue is an 8-foot-tall bronze work depicting Riley in his signature Giorgio Armani suit. It is located at Star Plaza between the statues of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson, two key players who led the Lakers to five championships in the 1980s.
Riley began his role with the team as an assistant coach on the championship team before being appointed head coach by then-owner Jerry Buss in 1981. He led the team to four more championships and guided the Lakers to the NBA Finals seven times within nine years, becoming one of the greatest coaches in league history.
Now 80 years old, Riley serves as the president of the Miami Heat.