Jeanie Buss’ heartfelt tribute to Pat Riley reveals his “blueprint” still shapes Lakers' success

The Los Angeles Lakers have announced plans to unveil a statue of Pat Riley, placing it alongside other Lakers legends at Star Plaza outside Crypto.com Arena. Lakers controlling owner and president, Jeanie Buss shared the exciting news with Riley during a video call, joined by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Cooper, Magic Johnson, A.C. Green, Kurt Rambis, James Worthy, Vlade Divac, Karen West, and Chris Riley. Buss shared that Riley’s blueprint is still valid in the team and helped win several matches in the league.
LA Lakers has decided to celebrate Pat Riley’s contribution to the team over the years who has been responsible for shaping the team as a couch. Jeanie Buss, owner of Lakers 66% stakes, recently shared that Riley’s influence has been still adored by the new generation of NBA stars in the team.
“Pat is a Lakers icon,” Buss said. “His professionalism, commitment to his craft and game preparation paved the way for the coaching we see across the league today. My dad recognized Pat’s obsession and ability to take talented players and coalesce them into a championship team. The style of basketball Pat and the Lakers created in the 80s is still the blueprint for the organization today: an entertaining and winning team,” she added.
Riley played a crucial role in shaping the Lakers' legacy. He won six championships with the team— four as head coach (1982, 1985, 1987, 1988), one as an assistant coach (1980), and one as a player (1972).
Riley is the eighth Laker to receive a statue at Star Plaza and will join other icons like Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Set for completion in 2026, the unveiling date will be announced later.

Certainly, the NBA legend deserves the accolades in his lifetime as he has been a valuable part of the team’s history. Lakers legend Magic Johnson has praised Riley in a recent post on X. “Congratulations to, in my opinion, the greatest coach to ever grace the NBA! A huge thank you to Jeanie Buss for making this moment possible. All of his Showtime players are thrilled to see this well-deserved statue come to life!”
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Riley's impact during the Showtime era was remarkbale. As head coach from 1981-1990, he led the Lakers to four titles and a remarkable 533-194 regular-season record. Riley also played for the Lakers in 1972, contributing to their championship victory and record 33-game win streak.