Pat Riley
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Patrick James Riley (born March 20, 1945) is an American professional
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
executive, former coach, and former player in the
National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball sports league, league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues i ...
(NBA). He has been the team president of the
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The club plays its home games at FT ...
since 1995, and he also served as the team's head coach from 1995 to 2003 and again from 2005 to 2008. Regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has won five NBA championships as a head coach, four with the
Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
during their Showtime era in the 1980s and one with the Heat in 2006. Riley is a nine-time NBA champion across his tenures as a player ( 1972), assistant coach (
1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC. * January 9 – In ...
), head coach (
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C ...
,
1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...
, 1987, 1988,
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro votes to declare independence from Serbia; The 2006 ...
), and executive (
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
,
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
). Riley was named
NBA Coach of the Year The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who le ...
three times ( 1989–90,
1992–93 Year 199 ( CXCIX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was sometimes known as year 952 '' Ab urbe condita''. The denomination 199 for this year has been used since t ...
and 1996–97, as head coach of the Lakers,
New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
and Heat, respectively). He was head coach of an NBA All-Star Game team nine times: eight times with the Western Conference team (
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C ...
, 1983,
1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...
1990 File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of humanity on Earth, astrophysicis ...
, all as head coach of the Lakers) and once with the Eastern team ( 1993, as head coach of the Knicks). He is the first North American sports figure to win a championship as a player, as an assistant coach, as a head coach, and as an executive, and in various roles has reached the NBA finals in six different decades. In 1996, he was named one of the 10 Greatest Coaches in NBA history. Riley most recently won the
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
and 2013 NBA championships with the Heat as their team president. He received the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award from the NBA Coaches Association on June 20, 2012.


Early life

Riley was born in
Rome, New York Rome is a city in Oneida County, New York, United States, located in the central part of the state. The population was 32,127 at the 2020 census. Rome is one of two principal cities in the Utica–Rome Metropolitan Statistical Area, which l ...
and raised in
Schenectady, New York Schenectady () is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2020 census, the city's population of 67,047 made it the state's ninth-largest city by population. The city is in eastern New Yo ...
. He is the son of Mary Rosalia (Balloga) and Leon Riley, who played 22 seasons of minor league baseball as an
outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to cat ...
and
first baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
, and appeared in four games for the 1944
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
. Riley played basketball for
Linton High School Schenectady High School is a high school located at 1445 The Plaza in Schenectady, New York, USA. It was founded in 1992 through the merger of Linton High School and Mont Pleasant High School. It is the only high school in the Schenectady City S ...
in Schenectady under head coach Walt Przybylo and assistants Bill Rapavy and Ed Catino. Linton High School's 74–68 victory over New York City's Power Memorial on December 29, 1961, is remembered mostly for its two stars: Power Memorial's
Lew Alcindor Lew or LEW may refer to: People * Lew (given name) * Lew (surname) Places * Lew, Oxfordshire, England * River Lew, in Devon, England Transport * LEW Hennigsdorf, a rail vehicle factory in Hennigsdorf, Germany * Lew (locomotive), a British narro ...
(who later changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Riley, who would go on to coach Abdul-Jabbar with the Los Angeles Lakers. In 1991, Riley called it "one of the greatest games in the history of Schenectady basketball."


College career (1963–1967)

Riley played college basketball for four seasons for the Kentucky Wildcats—one on the freshman team and three on the varsity. As a junior on the
1965–66 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team The 1965–66 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team represented the University of Kentucky in NCAA competition in the 1965–66 season. Coached by Adolph Rupp, the team had no player taller than —unusually small even for that era—and beca ...
, he was named First Team All-SEC, All-NCAA Tournament Team, NCAA Regional Player of the Year, SEC Player of the Year and AP Third Team All-American, leading the Wildcats to the 1966 NCAA title game. Coached by
Adolph Rupp Adolph Frederick Rupp (September 2, 1901 – December 10, 1977) was an American college basketball coach. He is ranked seventh in total victories by a men's NCAA Division I college coach, winning 876 games in 41 years of coaching at the Un ...
, UK lost to Texas Western (today's UTEP), a game that was reenacted in the movie '' Glory Road''. In his senior year, Riley made First Team All-SEC, becoming one of the few players in storied Kentucky basketball history to be named First Team All-SEC twice.


Professional playing career (1967–1976)

Riley was selected by the San Diego Rockets as the seventh overall pick of the
1967 NBA draft The 1967 NBA draft was the 21st annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on May 3 and 4, 1967 before the 1967–68 season. In this draft, 12 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball pl ...
. Despite the fact that he had not played college football, Riley was also drafted as a wide receiver by the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divis ...
in the 11th round of the
1967 NFL Draft The 1967 National Football League draft was conducted March 14–15, 1967, at the Gotham Hotel in New York City. It was the first common draft with the AFL, part of the AFL–NFL merger agreement of June 1966. This draft was delayed as new gu ...
. After playing three seasons with the Rockets, he was selected by the
Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...
in the 1970 NBA expansion draft. The Blazers traded Riley to the
Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
, where he played for five seasons. Riley played a significant role as a reserve on the Lakers' 1972 NBA Championship team. During the
1975–76 NBA season The 1975–76 NBA season was the 30th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning the NBA Championship, beating the Phoenix Suns 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Notable occurrences *Larry O'Brie ...
, Riley was traded to the Phoenix Suns. He retired in 1976, having averaged 7.4 points per game over his nine seasons in the league.


Coaching and executive career (1979–present)


Los Angeles Lakers (1979–1990)

Riley returned to the NBA in 1977 as a broadcaster for the Lakers. In November 1979, after the team's head coach, Jack McKinney, was injured in a near-fatal bicycle accident, assistant coach Paul Westhead took over the team's head coaching duties and hired Riley as an assistant coach. With rookie guard
Magic Johnson Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. He is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all-time and has been compared with Stephen Curry. Johnson played 13 seasons in the ...
and longtime star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in six games in the 1980 NBA Finals, giving Westhead and Riley championship rings in their first year coaching the team. However, the team lost in the playoffs the next year to the
Moses Malone Moses Eugene Malone (March 23, 1955 – September 13, 2015) was an American professional basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1974 through 1995. A cen ...
-led Houston Rockets. Six games into the 1981–82 season,
Magic Johnson Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. He is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all-time and has been compared with Stephen Curry. Johnson played 13 seasons in the ...
said he wished to be traded because he was unhappy playing for Westhead. Shortly afterward, Lakers' owner Jerry Buss fired Westhead. At an ensuing press conference, with
Jerry West Jerome Alan West (born May 28, 1938) is an American basketball executive and former player. He played professionally for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His nicknames included "Mr. Clutch", for his ability ...
at his side, Buss named West head coach. West, however, balked, and Buss awkwardly tried to name West as "offensive captain" and then named West and Riley as co-coaches. West made it clear during the press conference that he would only assist Riley, and that Riley was the head coach. Thereafter, Riley was the interim head coach, until his status became permanent. Riley ushered in the Lakers' "Showtime" era, along with superstar players Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar with their running game. Riley became a celebrity in his own right, a fashion icon for his Armani suits and slicked-back hair which complemented the team's
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...
image. Besides using Lakers' up-tempo style established by McKinney and Westhead, Riley was also innovative on defense; he was one of the first coaches to employ a 1-3-1 half-court trap to pick up the pace of the game. Though the Showtime Lakers were known for their offense, they won championships with their defense. In
Michael Cooper Michael Jerome Cooper (born April 15, 1956) is an American basketball coach and former player who is the boys varsity coach at Culver City High School. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA), winning ...
, they had one of the top defensive guards in the game. The league-wide perception was that the Lakers played with finesse and were not physical enough to win in the playoffs. Riley's mantra was "no rebounds, no rings", reinforcing the need to fight for rebounds in order to win championships. Riley led the Lakers to four consecutive
NBA Finals The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is a ...
appearances. His first title came in his first season, against the
Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Ea ...
. Both teams returned to the Finals the next year, and this time Riley's Lakers were swept by the 76ers. The Lakers lost in the Finals again in
1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...
, to the
Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...
in seven games. The Lakers earned Riley his second NBA title in
1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...
in a rematch of the previous year, as the Lakers beat the Celtics in six games. The Lakers' four-year Western Conference streak was broken the following year by the
Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
. In 1987, Riley coached a Lakers team that is considered one of the best teams of all time. With future
Hall of Famers A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...
Magic Johnson Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. He is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all-time and has been compared with Stephen Curry. Johnson played 13 seasons in the ...
,
James Worthy James Ager Worthy (born February 27, 1961) is an American sports commentator, television host, analyst, and former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Big Game James", he played his entire professional career with the Los Angeles Lakers ...
and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, plus Byron Scott,
A. C. Green A.C. Green Jr. (born October 4, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Iron Man", he holds a National Basketball Association (NBA) record for most consecutive regular-season games played with 1,192. Green played ...
,
Mychal Thompson Mychal George Thompson (born January 30, 1955) is a Bahamian-American former basketball player. The top overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft, Thompson played the center position for the University of Minnesota and center and forward for the Na ...
, Kurt Rambis, and Cooper, the Lakers finished 65–17 in the regular season, third-best in team history. They met with similar success in the playoffs, dispatching the Celtics in six games to win Riley his third NBA title. One of Riley's most famous moments came when he guaranteed the crowd a repeat championship during the Lakers' championship parade in downtown
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
(he first made the guarantee during the post-victory locker room celebration). While the 1988 Lakers did not produce as many wins in the regular season as the 1987 Lakers, they still won the NBA title, becoming the first team in 19 years to repeat as champions. The Lakers beat the
Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at L ...
in seven games in the 1988 NBA Finals, making good on Riley's promise. Riley's titles with the Lakers make him one of six men to play for an NBA Championship team and later coach the same NBA team to a championship; the others are George Senesky,
Bill Russell William Felton Russell (February 12, 1934 – July 31, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played as a center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. A five-time NBA Most Va ...
,
Tom Heinsohn Thomas William Heinsohn (August 26, 1934 – November 9, 2020) was an American professional basketball player. He was associated with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) for six decades as a player, coach and broadcast ...
,
K. C. Jones K. C. Jones (May 25, 1932 – December 25, 2020) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He is best known for his association with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA), with whom he won 11 of his 12 ...
and Billy Cunningham. Although Riley would offer no further guarantees, his Lakers embarked upon a quest to obtain a third consecutive championship in
1989 File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
. Having successfully claimed a repeat championship the year before, the term used for this new goal was a '' three-peat'' championship, and Riley, through his corporate entity, Riles & Co.,
trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from ot ...
ed the phrase ''three-peat''. However, in a rematch of the previous year's finals series, the Lakers were swept by the Pistons in the
1989 NBA Finals The 1989 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1988–89 National Basketball Association (NBA) season, and the conclusion of the 1989 NBA Playoffs. The series was a rematch of the previous year's championship round between the Eastern ...
. Riley was named
NBA Coach of the Year The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who le ...
for the first time in 1989–90, but stepped down as Lakers head coach after they lost to the
Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...
in the playoffs. At the time of his departure, Riley was the foremost coach in the NBA with a level of fame not seen since
Red Auerbach Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach (September 20, 1917 – October 28, 2006) was an American professional basketball coach and executive. He served as a head coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA), most notably with the Boston Celtics. ...
.


New York Knicks (1991–1995)

After stepping down, Riley accepted a job as a television commentator for NBC for one year before being named head coach of the
New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
, starting with the 1991–92 season. Commentators admired Riley's ability to work with the physical, deliberate Knicks, adapting his "Showtime" style with the fast-paced Laker teams in the 1980s. The
Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January ...
had easily swept the Knicks in 1991 en route to their first championship. However, in 1992, with Riley, the Knicks pushed the defending champion Bulls to seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The physical defense of the Knicks against the
Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January ...
' superstars
Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...
and Scottie Pippen during the 1992 playoffs led to a feud between Riley and Bulls head coach
Phil Jackson Philip Douglas Jackson (born September 17, 1945) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive. A power forward, Jackson played 12 seasons in the NBA, winning NBA championships with the New York Knicks in 1970 a ...
regarding the officiating and the Knicks' rough style of play. In 1993, Riley led the Knicks to their best regular season record in team history (tied with the 1969–1970 team) and received his second Coach of the Year award. The Knicks again met the Bulls in the Eastern Conference finals but lost in six games after winning the first two games at home. Jackson's Bulls that season went on to win the finals and accomplish a "three-peat," despite Riley's trademark in 1989. Riley returned to the NBA Finals, in 1994, en route defeating the three-time defending champion Bulls (without
Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...
) in seven games during the Eastern Conference semifinals. However, New York lost in seven games to the
Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
after being up 3–2 in the series. During the 1994 Finals, Riley became the first coach to participate in an NBA Finals Game 7 with two teams, having been with the Lakers in
1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...
and 1988. However, he had the unfortunate distinction of becoming the first (and to date, only) coach to lose an NBA Finals Game 7 with two teams, having lost to the Celtics, in 1984. It also denied him the distinction of becoming the first coach to win a Game 7 in the Finals with two teams, having defeated the Pistons in seven games, in 1988.


Miami Heat (1995–present)

In 1995, Riley resigned from the Knicks via fax to become president and head coach of the Miami Heat, with complete control over basketball operations. The move caused some controversy, as the Heat were accused by the Knicks of tampering by pursuing Riley while he still had a year remaining on his contract with the Knicks. The matter was settled after the Heat sent their 1996 first-round pick (which the Knicks used to draft
Walter McCarty Walter Lee McCarty (born February 1, 1974) is an American basketball coach and former professional player. McCarty played for the NBA's New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, and the Los Angeles Clippers. He last served as head coach ...
) and $1 million in cash to the Knicks on September 1, 1995. In the 1995–96 NBA season, Riley led the Heat to a 42–40 record, which was a 10-game improvement over the team's previous season. Miami was swept in the first round of the playoffs by the
Phil Jackson Philip Douglas Jackson (born September 17, 1945) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive. A power forward, Jackson played 12 seasons in the NBA, winning NBA championships with the New York Knicks in 1970 a ...
-coached
Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January ...
, who went on to win the NBA championship. This Heat season was notable for personnel changes, as the team welcomed franchise building blocks
Alonzo Mourning Alonzo Harding Mourning Jr. (born February 8, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player who has served as vice president of player programs and development for the Miami Heat since June 2009. Mourning played most of his 15-yea ...
and
Tim Hardaway Timothy Duane Hardaway Sr. (born September 1, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player. Hardaway played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets a ...
. Following the season, the Heat also obtained Nets forward
P.J. Brown Collier "P. J." Brown Jr. (born October 14, 1969) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The , center/ power forward was selected out of Louisiana Tech University by the New ...
and Suns swingman Dan Majerle. In
1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of ...
, Riley's Heat defeated his old team, the Knicks, in a physical seven-game series. Advancing to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in franchise history, the Heat were again defeated by the eventual champion Bulls. Riley was selected as Coach of the Year for the third time after leading Miami to a 61–21 regular season record and first place in the Atlantic Division. The Heat lost to the archrival Knicks in the playoffs in 1998, 1999, and 2000. Riley then traded Brown and
Jamal Mashburn Jamal Mashburn Sr. (born November 29, 1972) is an American entrepreneur and former professional basketball player. Nicknamed the "Monster Mash", Mashburn was a prolific scorer as a small forward in his 12 seasons in the National Basketball Assoc ...
in exchange for Eddie Jones in one trade and acquired Brian Grant in another, although the team suffered a major setback after
Alonzo Mourning Alonzo Harding Mourning Jr. (born February 8, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player who has served as vice president of player programs and development for the Miami Heat since June 2009. Mourning played most of his 15-yea ...
was lost for the season due to a kidney ailment. After finishing 50–32 in the 2000–01 season, the Heat were swept by the Charlotte Hornets in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Heat then lost two of their best players when guard
Tim Hardaway Timothy Duane Hardaway Sr. (born September 1, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player. Hardaway played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets a ...
was traded to the
Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Southwest Division. Th ...
and Anthony Mason signed with the
Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded in 196 ...
. In part because of these departures, the Heat crumbled to a 36–46 in
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
–the first time that a Riley-coached team had not had a winning season or made the playoffs. Riley was so disgusted with the Heat's performance that he declared he was about to "fire himself". After the Heat finished the 2002–03 season 25–57, Riley stepped down as head coach and was succeeded by longtime assistant
Stan Van Gundy Stanley Alan Van Gundy (born August 26, 1959) is an American former basketball coach who is a National Basketball Association (NBA) game analyst for TNT. Prior to TNT, Van Gundy was most recently the head coach for the New Orleans Pelicans of the ...
. In the 2003 NBA Draft, the Heat held the fifth overall pick, which they used to select
Dwyane Wade Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. (; born January 17, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. Wade spent the majority of his 16-year career playing for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and won three NBA cham ...
. In July 2004, Riley traded Caron Butler, Brian Grant,
Lamar Odom Lamar Joseph Odom (born November 6, 1979) is an American former professional basketball player. As a member of the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA), he won championships in 2009 and 2010 and was named the NBA Si ...
, and a first-round draft pick to the Lakers for star center
Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), known commonly as "Shaq" ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program '' Inside the NBA''. O'Neal is regarded as one of the greate ...
. Wade and O'Neal led the Heat to the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2005 playoffs, where they lost to the defending champions
Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at L ...
after leading the series 3–2. During the 2005 off-season, it was widely speculated that Riley was attempting to push Van Gundy out and make himself head coach once again now that the team was a championship contender. Van Gundy resigned from his position just 21 games into the 2005-2006 season, citing a need to spend more time with his family, and Riley named himself as Van Gundy's successor. Riley's Heat team defeated the
Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at L ...
in the 2006 Eastern Conference Finals on June 2, 2006, the first time Miami reached the finals. Riley's Heat squared off against the
Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Southwest Division. Th ...
in the 2006 NBA Finals. Despite losing the first two games, the Heat rallied to win the next four and their first NBA championship. After Game 6, Riley commented that he had packed one suit, one shirt, and one tie for the trip to Dallas. It was Riley's fifth championship as a head coach and his first with a team other than the Lakers. Citing hip and knee problems, Riley took a leave of absence from coaching from January 3, 2007, through February 19, 2007. Assistant coach Ron Rothstein assumed interim duties. The Heat finished the season 44–38 and were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Chicago Bulls, the first defending champions swept in the first round since 1957. The following season, the Heat finished 15–67. The team had lost several of its players to extended injuries, and a disgruntled
Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), known commonly as "Shaq" ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program '' Inside the NBA''. O'Neal is regarded as one of the greate ...
was traded mid-season. Two years after winning the championship, they finished with one of the worst seasons in NBA history. It also tied the Heat's 1988-89 Miami Heat season, inaugural season of 1988-89 as the worst in franchise history, and was easily the worst full-season record compiled by a Riley-coached team. On April 28, 2008, Riley announced that he would step down as head coach while remaining team president. He named assistant Erik Spoelstra as head coach. Although the Heat have nominally had a general manager for most of Riley's tenure as team president (Randy Pfund until 2008, and Andy Elisburg since 2013), Riley has had the final say in basketball matters since his arrival in Miami. In 2010, Riley acquired LeBron James and Chris Bosh to form the Heat's "Big Three (Miami Heat), Big Three" with Dwyane Wade. The Heat reached the NBA Finals each of the next four seasons (2011 through 2014). In 2012, the Heat beat the Oklahoma City Thunder to give Riley his first championship purely as an executive. The Heat repeated as champions in 2013, defeating the San Antonio Spurs. In the 2019-2020 season, the Heat became the fourth team in NBA history to finish lower than fourth place in their conference in the regular season and make it to the NBA Finals. The 2019–20 Heat team has been considered by some to be Riley's "magnum opus", since the team's Finals run was not preceded by a dramatic rebuild or by the selection of a high draft pick. Before the season, Riley traded for Jimmy Butler, drafted Tyler Herro, and signed the undrafted Kendrick Nunn. Before the 2019–20 trade deadline, the Heat obtained Andre Iguodala and Jae Crowder. Facing Riley's former team, the
Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
(led by former Heat superstar LeBron James), the Heat were defeated in six games.


Outside basketball

Outside basketball, Riley has developed into a pop culture figure. This is born out of Riley's signature look, a slicked-back hairstyle, which is often described as gangster- or mafioso-like, and his immaculate Sun tanning, tan. Riley's nickname is "The Godfather" because of his appearance. In 1988, Riley published a book entitled ''Showtime: Inside the Lakers' Breakthrough Season'', a ''New York Times'' best-seller which recapped the Lakers' successful run to the 1987 NBA Championship. One of the phrases Riley coined in the book was the "Disease of More", stating that "success is often the first step toward disaster" and that defending champions often fail the following season because every player who returns wants more playing time, more shots per game, and more money. The phrase stemmed from the Lakers' disappointing 1980–81 campaign coming off a championship the previous season. In 1993, while coaching the New York Knicks, Riley published a second ''New York Times'' bestseller entitled ''The Winner Within: A Life Plan for Team Players''. Aimed at business leadership as well as basketball enthusiasts, it distilled a lesson in teamwork and leadership from each of Riley's seasons as a coach to that date. Byron Laursen, saluted by Riley as "...a true Showtime Warrior", co-authored both of Riley's books. Riley is known for his friendship with Giorgio Armani, preferring to wear Armani suits during basketball games and modeling once at an Armani show. Riley has been married to the former Christine Rodstrom since June 26, 1970. In 1985, the Rileys adopted a son, James Patrick. In 1989, they adopted a daughter, Elisabeth. Riley is a practicing Roman Catholic. On February 27, 2007, the Miami Heat were honored for their 2005–2006 NBA Championship at the White House. During the ceremony, Riley presented George W. Bush with a jersey before announcing, "I voted for the man. If you don't vote, you don't count." After the ceremony, Riley was questioned by reporters about the political nature of his comments. He responded by saying, "I'm pro-American, pro-democracy, I'm pro-government. I follow my boss. He's my boss."


Career statistics


NBA


Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1967–68 San Diego Rockets season, San Diego , 80 , , , , 15.8 , , .379 , , , , .634 , , 2.2 , , 1.7 , , , , , , 7.9 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1968–69 San Diego Rockets season, San Diego , 56 , , , , 18.3 , , .406 , , , , .672 , , 2.0 , , 2.4 , , , , , , 8.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1969–70 San Diego Rockets season, San Diego , 36 , , , , 13.2 , , .417 , , , , .727 , , 1.6 , , 2.4 , , , , , , 5.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1970–71 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , 54 , , , , 9.4 , , .413 , , , , .644 , , 1.0 , , 1.3 , , , , , , 4.9 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", , style="text-align:left;", 1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , 67 , , , , 13.8 , , .447 , , , , .743 , , 1.9 , , 1.1 , , , , , , 6.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1972–73 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , 55 , , , , 14.6 , , .428 , , , , .793 , , 1.2 , , 1.5 , , , , , , 7.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1973–74 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , 72 , , , , 18.9 , , .430 , , , , .764 , , 1.8 , , 2.1 , , .8 , , .0 , , 9.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1974–75 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , 46 , , , , 22.1 , , .419 , , , , .742 , , 1.8 , , 2.6 , , .8 , , .1 , , 11.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1975–76 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , 2 , , , , 11.5 , , .385 , , , , .333 , , 1.5 , , .0 , , .5 , , .5 , , 5.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1975–76 Phoenix Suns season, Phoenix , 60 , , , , 13.2 , , .389 , , , , .730 , , .8 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , .1 , , 4.6 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 528 , , , , 15.5 , , .414 , , , , .705 , , 1.6 , , 1.7 , , .6 , , .1 , , 7.4


Playoffs

, - , style="text-align:left;", 1969 NBA playoffs, 1969 , style="text-align:left;", 1968–69 San Diego Rockets season, San Diego , 5 , , , , 15.2 , , .432 , , , , .833 , , 2.2 , , .4 , , , , , , 7.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1971 NBA playoffs, 1971 , style="text-align:left;", 1970–71 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , 7 , , , , 19.3 , , .420 , , , , .727 , , 2.1 , , 2.0 , , , , , , 9.4 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", 1972 NBA playoffs, 1972 , style="text-align:left;", 1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , 15 , , , , 16.3 , , .333 , , , , .750 , , 1.9 , , .9 , , , , , , 5.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1973 NBA playoffs, 1973 , style="text-align:left;", 1972–73 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , 7 , , , , 7.6 , , .333 , , , , , , .7 , , 1.0 , , , , , , 2.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1974 NBA playoffs, 1974 , style="text-align:left;", 1973–74 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , 5 , , , , 21.2 , , .360 , , , , .750 , , 1.2 , , 2.0 , , .8 , , .0 , , 7.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1976 NBA playoffs, 1976 , style="text-align:left;", 1975–76 Phoenix Suns season, Phoenix , 5 , , , , 5.4 , , .400 , , , , 1.000 , , .0 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , .0 , , 2.6 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 44 , , , , 14.6 , , .374 , , , , .763 , , 1.5 , , 1.2 , , .4 , , .0 , , 5.7


College

, - , style="text-align:left;", 1964–65 NCAA University Division men's basketball season, 1964–65 , style="text-align:left;", Kentucky , 25 , , , , 33.0 , , .432 , , , , .618 , , 8.5 , , 1.1 , , , , , , 15.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1965–66 NCAA University Division men's basketball season, 1965–66 , style="text-align:left;", 1965–66 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, Kentucky , 29 , , , , 37.2 , , .516 , , , , .699 , , 8.9 , , 2.2 , , , , , , 22.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1966–67 NCAA University Division men's basketball season, 1966–67 , style="text-align:left;", Kentucky , 26 , , , , 36.7 , , .442 , , , , .782 , , 7.7 , , 2.6 , , , , , , 17.4 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 80 , , , , 35.7 , , .469 , , , , .714 , , 8.4 , , 2.0 , , , , , , 18.3


Head coaching record

, - style="background:#FDE910;" , style="text-align:left;", 1981–82 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , style="text-align:left;", , 71, , 50, , 21, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific, , 14, , 12, , 2, , , style="text-align:center;", Won 1982 NBA Finals, NBA Championship , - , style="text-align:left;", 1982–83 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 58, , 24, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Pacific, , 15, , 8, , 7, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in 1983 NBA Finals, NBA Finals , - , style="text-align:left;", 1983–84 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 54, , 28, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Pacific, , 21, , 14, , 7, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in 1984 NBA Finals, NBA Finals , - style="background:#FDE910;" , style="text-align:left;", 1984–85 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 62, , 20, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Pacific, , 19, , 15, , 4, , , style="text-align:center;", Won 1985 NBA Finals, NBA Championship , - , style="text-align:left;", 1985–86 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 62, , 20, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Pacific, , 14, , 8, , 6, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in 1986 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals , - style="background:#FDE910;" , style="text-align:left;", 1986–87 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 65, , 17, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Pacific, , 18, , 15, , 3, , , style="text-align:center;", Won 1987 NBA Finals, NBA Championship , - style="background:#FDE910;" , style="text-align:left;", 1987–88 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 62, , 20, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Pacific, , 25, , 15, , 9, , , style="text-align:center;", Won 1988 NBA Finals, NBA Championship , - , style="text-align:left;", 1988–89 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 57, , 25, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Pacific, , 15, , 11, , 4, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in 1989 NBA Finals, NBA Finals , - , style="text-align:left;", 1989–90 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 63, , 19, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Pacific, , 9, , 4, , 5, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in 1990 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals , - , style="text-align:left;", 1991–92 New York Knicks season, New York , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 51, , 31, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic, , 12, , 6, , 6, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in 1992 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals , - , style="text-align:left;", 1992–93 New York Knicks season, New York , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 60, , 22, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Atlantic, , 15, , 9, , 6, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in 1993 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals , - , style="text-align:left;", 1993–94 New York Knicks season, New York , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 57, , 25, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Atlantic, , 25, , 14, , 11, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in 1994 NBA Finals, NBA Finals , - , style="text-align:left;", 1994–95 New York Knicks season, New York , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 55, , 27, , , , style="text-align:center;", 2nd in Atlantic, , 11, , 6, , 5, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in 1995 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals , - , style="text-align:left;", 1995–96 Miami Heat season, Miami , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 42, , 40, , , , style="text-align:center;", 3rd in Atlantic, , 3, , 0, , 3, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in 1996 NBA playoffs, First Round , - , style="text-align:left;", 1996–97 Miami Heat season, Miami , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 61, , 21, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Atlantic, , 17, , 8, , 9, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in 1997 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals , - , style="text-align:left;", 1997–98 Miami Heat season, Miami , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 55, , 27, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Atlantic, , 5, , 2, , 3, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in 1998 NBA playoffs, First Round , - , style="text-align:left;", 1998–99 Miami Heat season, Miami , style="text-align:left;", , 50, , 33, , 17, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Atlantic, , 5, , 2, , 3, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in 1999 NBA playoffs, First Round , - , style="text-align:left;", 1999–2000 Miami Heat season, Miami , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 52, , 30, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Atlantic, , 10, , 6, , 4, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in 2000 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals , - , style="text-align:left;", 2000–01 Miami Heat season, Miami , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 50, , 32, , , , style="text-align:center;", 2nd in Atlantic, , 3, , 0, , 3, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in 2001 NBA playoffs, First Round , - , style="text-align:left;", 2001–02 Miami Heat season, Miami , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 36, , 46, , , , style="text-align:center;", 6th in Atlantic, , —, , —, , —, , — , style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs , - , style="text-align:left;", 2002–03 Miami Heat season, Miami , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 25, , 57, , , , style="text-align:center;", 7th in Atlantic, , —, , —, , —, , — , style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs , - style="background:#FDE910;" , style="text-align:left;", 2005–06 Miami Heat season, Miami , style="text-align:left;", , 61, , 41, , 20, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast, , 23, , 16, , 7, , , style="text-align:center;", Won 2006 NBA Finals, NBA Championship , - , style="text-align:left;", 2006–07 Miami Heat season, Miami , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 44, , 38, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Southeast, , 4, , 0, , 4, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in 2007 NBA playoffs, First Round , - , style="text-align:left;", 2007–08 Miami Heat season, Miami , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 15, , 67, , , , style="text-align:center;", 5th in Southeast, , —, , —, , —, , — , style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 1,904, , 1,210, , 694, , , ,  , , 282, , 171, , 111, , , ,  


Awards and honors

* Nine-time NBA Champion (one as a player, one as an assistant coach, five as a head coach, and two as an executive) * Three-time NBA Coach of the Year * Nine-time NBA All-Star Game head coach * 2011 NBA Executive of the Year * Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (class of 2008) * 1966 First Team All-American * 2012 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award * Number 42 retired by the Kentucky Wildcats


See also

* List of NBA championship head coaches


References


Bibliography

* Heisler, Mark (1994). ''The Lives of Riley'', Macmillan General Reference,


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Riley, Pat 1945 births Living people All-American college men's basketball players American men's basketball coaches American men's basketball players Basketball coaches from New York (state) Basketball players from New York (state) Catholics from New York (state) Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball players Los Angeles Lakers assistant coaches Los Angeles Lakers announcers Los Angeles Lakers head coaches Los Angeles Lakers players Miami Heat executives Miami Heat head coaches Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees National Basketball Association broadcasters National Basketball Association championship-winning head coaches National Basketball Association general managers National Basketball Association team presidents New York Knicks head coaches Phoenix Suns players Portland Trail Blazers expansion draft picks San Diego Rockets draft picks San Diego Rockets players Shooting guards Small forwards Sportspeople from Rome, New York Sportspeople from Schenectady, New York