Jeanie Buss Delivers Striking Tribute as Lakers Honor Pat Riley With Statue

Feb 10, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Owner and president of the Los Angeles Lakers Jeanie Buss attends the game against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Ahead of the matchup with the arch-rival Boston Celtics on Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers paid tribute to one of the greatest head coaches in the team’s history, Pat Riley.

The Lakers unveiled an eighth bronze statue outside of Crypto.com Arena, as Riley joins fellow icons of the storied franchise, including Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant (two statues), Shaquille O’Neal, Jerry West and Chick Hearn.

Jeanie Buss Calls Pat Riley ‘Guardian Angel’ for Lakers Franchise

Jun 1988; Los Angeles, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Los Angeles Lakers head coach Pat Riley looks the the scoreboard as he huddles with his team against the Detroit Pistons during the 1988 NBA Finals at The Forum. Mandatory Credit: MPS-Imagn Images | MPS-Imagn Images

Following the unveiling, the team sent out a press release with quotes from Riley and longtime team owner and current Governor, Jeanie Buss.

"Pat really was a guardian angel for this franchise, its employees and, most important, its fans across the world,” Buss said of Riley. “In 1981, my father made Pat the team's head coach and Pat soon became the epitome of an era, the stylish leader of the all-conquering Showtime Lakers. Now, generations of Angelenos will be able to gather here to learn of his achievements and to understand his central role in the history of our team and our city."

Buss was there from the beginning when Riley took over as head coach and helped put together the Showtime Lakers that absolutely dominated the ‘80s, along with Larry Bird’s Celtics, with whom the Lakers had a heated rivalry during this incredible moment in league history.

Pat Riley Expresses ‘Pride & Gratitude’ for Lakers Statue

Feb 22, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers former coach Pat Riley poses at statue unveiling at the Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"I want to thank all of you,” Riley said of the honor of a statue outside of Crypto.com Arena. “Significance doesn't come from comfort. It comes from adversity, from discipline, from refusing to be ordinary. One day we look back with the incredible pride and gratitude to have been part of something truly special. That statue right there is loaded up with all of us who took this magical journey."

With Riley being the latest to get a statue outside the Lakers’ arena in downtown Los Angeles, the attention turns to who might be next to be immortalized in bronze amongst the other legends who left their mark on the storied NBA franchise.

A safe bet might be either fellow legendary head coach Phil Jackson, who coached the Lakers to five NBA titles, or possibly another member of the Showtime Lakers in James Worthy, who currently is an analyst for Spectrum SportsNet and remains closely connected to the team he helped win three titles during his time under Riley in Los Angeles.