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Lakers unveil statue of legendary former coach Pat Riley
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LOS ANGELES — Legendary Lakers coach Pat Riley was honored with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena on Sunday and the nearly 8-foot tall, 510-pound bronze rendering features the famously stylish Riley in his preferred attire: a Giorgio Armani suit.
The Hall of Fame coach, who is currently the Miami Heat's team president and last roamed the sidelines in 2008 after 24 seasons with L.A., the New York Knicks and the Heat, said he would still be wearing suits if he were coaching today.
"I wish it went back to coat and ties," Riley said of the NBA coaches' current dress code of team-issued polos, quarter-zips and sweaters. "I think an audience wants to see somebody on the sidelines who looks like a leader, dresses like a leader, acts like a leader."
Lakers unveil Pat Riley statue, honoring Showtime mastermind
The 8-foot bronze likeness of Hall of Fame coach Pat Riley, in one of his famed Giorgio Armani suits, stands in Star Plaza.
Pat Riley sits courtside with wife Chris at the Lakers-Celtics game Sunday, which included the unveiling of a statue in his honor.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers have unveiled a statue of Pat Riley outside their downtown arena to honor the head coach who masterminded their Showtime championship era.
Riley was in attendance Sunday when the Lakers revealed the 8-foot bronze likeness of the Hall of Fame coach in one of his famed Giorgio Armani suits. The statue stands in Star Plaza between statues of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson, the two pillars of the Lakers’ five championships in the 1980s.
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Lakers unveil Pat Riley statue next to Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
For decades, Pat Riley has been the architect of the Miami Het.
But he's a Los Angeles Lakers legend whose likeness was set in perpetuity Sunday with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers unveiled the statue prior to Sunday's home game against the rival Boston Celtics. It fittingly stands between statues of Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with whom Riley won four NBA championships as head coach of the "Showtime" Lakers.
With a host of Lakers icons watching, the curtain was lifted, and Riley's statue emerged from a flurry of purple and gold confetti. The statue is positioned with Riley holding up his right hand in a fist, his trademark signal for Johnson to deliver a pass to Abdul-Jabbar for a sky hook.
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