Not much is known about the next statue the plan to have erected outside .
But it is almost certain that sculpture will be well-dressed and have impeccable hair.
The team announced Monday that Showtime-era coach will be the next Lakers legend to be honored with a statue on Star Plaza outside the arena.
“Pat is a Lakers icon,” Lakers controlling owner said in a statement released Monday by the team. “His professionalism, commitment to his craft and game preparation paved the way for the coaching we see across the league today.”
Buss added that her father, Lakers owner , “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.”
As an NBA player, Riley spent five of his 10 seasons with the Lakers, with the organization in 1972. After retiring, Riley became an assistant coach with the Lakers in the 1979-80 season and was promoted to head coach after Paul Westhead was fired early in the 1981-82 season.
Known for his slicked-backed hair and Armani suits, Riley coached the Lakers to NBA titles in , , and before stepping down after the team lost to the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference semifinals. He went on to win another NBA title as head coach and team president of the Miami Heat in 2006 and won two others in his executive role with the Heat in 2013 and 2014.
Riley will be joining three players that he coached with statues outside Crypto.com Arena — and , both members of the Showtime Lakers, and , who won a championship with Riley’s Heat in 2006. Riley’s former Lakers teammate and broadcast partner are also honored with sculptures in the plaza, as are and .
The Riley statue is scheduled to be completed in 2026.
