LeBron James Salutes Pat Riley During Lakers’ Halftime Statue Tribute
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LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James paused his warm-up routine on Feb. 22, 2026, to watch the franchise unveil a statue of former head coach Pat Riley outside Crypto.com Arena. After catching part of the halftime ceremony against the Boston Celtics, James said he holds “the utmost respect” for the Hall of Famer who guided the Lakers to four championships in the 1980s and later presided over James’ two-title run with the Miami Heat.
“Absolutely, I went out there and sat on the bench for a bit,” James told reporters. “He’s one of the all-time greats in every role — player, coach, executive. What he did here in the ’80s speaks for itself, and a statue is more than deserved.”
Riley, now Miami’s team president, signed James as a free agent in 2010. The partnership produced four consecutive NBA Finals appearances and championships in 2012 and 2013. James acknowledged that step as pivotal to his career.
“I went to Miami with one goal: win a championship,” he said. “I didn’t think it was possible in my first stint in Cleveland. The Heat had done it in ’06, so I felt they could put me in position to reach my goals, and we got it done.”
James also reflected on leaving South Florida in 2014. “I never planned on only four years, that’s just how the cards fell,” he noted. “It’s human nature to wonder what might have been, but those four years were special.”
The 39-year-old added that current Lakers success hinges on forging stronger on-court chemistry with teammates Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Doncic recently admitted the trio’s rhythm “isn’t quite there yet.”
For now, James said, honoring Riley’s legacy serves as motivation: “I spent four years with him. I’ve got the utmost respect for him and his family. It was pretty cool to be part of tonight.”
Source: LakersNation.com
