LOS ANGELES AP - The Los Angeles Lakers will unveil a statue of former coach Pat Riley on Feb. 22, as the Hall of Famer joins the likes of former team greats Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant in bronze outside their downtown arena.
The Lakers will fittingly honor Riley against their long-time rival, the Boston Celtics.
Riley coached the Lakers from from 1981 to 1990 during the team's "Showtime" era and won four NBA championships 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988. He led the Lakers through one of the most dynamic eras for any team in NBA history. With Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar leading an exciting roster with a groundbreaking fast-break offense, the Lakers went 533-194 .733 in Riley's tenure and added 102 playoff victories over nine seasons.