Lakers reveal when Pat Riley’s statue will be unveiled
Over the past few years, the Los Angeles Lakers have honored some of the best players in the franchise’s history, with the late great Kobe Bryant being the latest to get not one but two statues outside of Crypto.com Arena.
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Earlier this week, the storied franchise announced that it’ll unveil another statue for a legend that has come through the franchise. Legendary head coach Pat Riley will have his statue unveiled on Feb. 22 before the team takes on the arch-rival Boston Celtics, via ESPN.
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 the Boston Celtics, their long-time rival.
Along with 17 championship banners hanging in Crypto, which is the second-most in NBA history behind the Celtics, the team has immortalized seven other legends with statues, with many of Riley’s former players, teammates and colleagues being among them, highlighted by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson.
Riley will become the eighth Lakers luminary to be honored with a statue in Star Plaza, which has become a popular tourist attraction for fans of the globally popular franchise. The others are Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, Bryant, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Shaquille O’Neal and broadcaster Chick Hearn.
Riley played alongside Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, while also at one point sharing Lakers broadcasts with Chick Hearn.
