THE Los Angeles Lakers will immortalize former head coach Pat Riley with a statue unveiling on Feb. 22, 2026, joining franchise icons Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Kobe Bryant in bronze outside their downtown arena.
Fittingly, the ceremony will take place before the Lakers face their long-time rivals, the Boston Celtics.
Riley steered the Lakers from 1981 to 1990, guiding them through the famed “Showtime” era and capturing four NBA championships (1982, 1985, 1987, 1988).
With Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar spearheading a fast-paced, groundbreaking offense, the Lakers compiled a 533-194 (.733) record under his watch, along with 102 playoff victories over nine seasons.
The Lakers won at least 50 games every year when Riley was in charge, topping the 60-win mark in five straight campaigns. He was named NBA Coach of the Year in 1989-90.
Before moving to the sidelines, Riley played for the Lakers from 1970 to 1975 and later served as a broadcaster before becoming Paul Westhead’s assistant in 1979. He was also part of the 1971-72 championship team that won a league-record 33 consecutive games.
Now 80, Riley went on to coach the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat, winning another NBA title with Miami in 2006. He currently serves as the Heat’s team president, and just last season, the franchise named its home court in his honor in a ceremony attended by many of his former players.
Riley will become the eighth Lakers legend with a statue in Star Plaza, a major draw for fans of the globally renowned franchise. The other honorees include Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, Bryant, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Shaquille O’Neal, and broadcaster Chick Hearn. / FROM THE WIRES