Pat Riley Honored with Lakers Statue as He Laments Missed 'Dynasty' with LeBron James

On the night the Los Angeles Lakers unveiled a bronze statue of pat riley outside Crypto. com Arena at Star Plaza, the 80-year-old reflected on the Heat era featuring LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh — and on a run he still wonders might have become a longer dynasty. The statue ceremony and Riley’s remarks occurred the same evening the Lakers fell to the Boston Celtics, 111-89.

Pat Riley honored outside Crypto. com Arena

On Sunday, a statue of Pat Riley was unveiled outside Crypto. com Arena at Star Plaza, immortalizing the architect of the Lakers’ "Showtime" era in bronze. Riley became the first person in franchise history recognized primarily for his coaching career with a bronze figure outside the arena, joining a lineup of Lakers icons that includes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Chick Kern.

The ceremony included high praise from team leadership and former stars. The Lakers governor called Riley a guardian figure for the franchise, while Earvin "Magic" Johnson described Riley as an exceptional in-game adjustment coach and credited him with pushing teammates to another level. Remarks at the event also invoked former owner Jerry Buss, Jerry West and broadcaster Chick Hearn as part of the franchise’s legacy. Shaquille O’Neal, unable to attend, said Riley changed a franchise and called the statue a legacy. Dwyane Wade, who won a title while coached by Riley in Miami, highlighted Riley’s culture-building impact.

A photo caption from the event noted the statue unveiling took place before the Lakers’ game against the Celtics on February 22, 2026 at Crypto. com Arena.

What pat riley said about LeBron James and the Heat’s Big 3

That same night Riley spoke about the four-season run that paired LeBron James with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, recalling that the trio won two championships in four seasons before James signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014. Riley said he believed the assembling of that Big 3 could have been the foundation for a lasting dynasty, noting the team’s four consecutive trips to the NBA Finals and two world championships. He added that, from his perspective as a coach who helped build that roster, he saw something that might have lasted eight to ten years.

Riley acknowledged he understood James’ decision to leave and recognized that the move led to the Cavaliers’ first championship in franchise history. He expressed well wishes but also admitted a personal wish that he could have had James for another six to eight years, closing with the observation that the counterfactual will never be known.

LeBron’s response and later achievements

When a reporter relayed Riley’s remarks, LeBron James discussed his time with the Heat, saying he never promised he would stay four years and that hindsight naturally invites what-if thinking. James called the four-year stretch great, noted the two championships they won and the two Finals they lost, and said there were many great memories. The record shows James later won a fourth NBA title, his first with the Lakers, in 2020.

Riley’s long résumé and the standards he set

At 80 years old, Riley remains president of the Miami Heat and one of basketball’s most influential executives. His coaching résumé highlighted at the ceremony noted that he guided the Lakers to four NBA championships in the 1980s and later delivered the Miami Heat’s first NBA title, totaling five championships as a head coach. He was named Coach of the Year three times with three different franchises — the Lakers (1989-90), the New York Knicks (1992-93) and the Heat (1996-97) — and earned 11 Coach of the Month honors between 1983 and 2006. Over his coaching career he led teams to at least 50 wins in 17 seasons, including seven 60-win campaigns, and he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.

During his remarks at the unveiling, Riley reflected on the standards that defined his career, summed up by his declaration that it was not about mediocrity but about excellence.

Additional context from the night

• The Lakers lost to the Celtics, 111-89, on Sunday.
• Hall of Fame center Chris Bosh took offense when LeBron James left the Heat.
• Riley’s comments about a missed dynasty came the same night he was celebrated with the statue.
• Related team items noted in coverage that evening included Heat coach Erik Spoelstra defending Myron Gardner after a $35, 000 fine, and questions about the status of Heat players Davion Mitchell and Nikola Jovic for an upcoming game amid a doctor visit.

This gathering at Crypto. com Arena merged commemoration and reflection: the franchise paid public tribute to a coaching and executive life while Riley publicly revisited one of the most debated what-ifs in recent NBA history.