Legendary Coach Pat Riley Immortalized with Bronze Statue in Los Angeles

On February 23, a statue of legendary Los Angeles Lakers head coach Pat Riley was officially unveiled outside Crypto.com Arena. Standing nearly 8 feet tall and weighing 510 pounds, the bronze statue depicts the famously stylish Riley wearing his iconic Armani suit.

“I have no idea how I got here, but I am here, and there’s a statue outside,” Riley said. “I’m so grateful, truly. This goes beyond gratitude. I’m thankful for this honor, and I thank all the great people—I stood on their shoulders, they lifted me up. They did this. And here I am today.” The statue captures Riley in his classic pose with his right fist raised—a signature tactical signal from the Lakers’ “Showtime” era in the 1980s, telling Magic Johnson to pass the ball to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for his legendary skyhook shot.

The base of the statue bears the inscription:

“There will come a time when you face a challenge. When that moment arrives, you must stand your ground and take a stand. You must speak up. About who you are, what you do, and where you come from. When that moment comes, this is how you do it.”

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