Not too long ago, former Lakers legendary head coach and Miami Heat president Pat Riley made a bold claim. The Godfather suggested that if LeBron James had not left the Heat in 2014, they could’ve won five or six NBA championships. While this statement from Riley makes you think about how things could’ve gone in South Florida, it also makes you wonder about the veteran coach’s own journey. Riley made a similar choice when he decided to leave the Lakers and head to the Big Apple. Had he decided to stay, could Riley have led L.A. to more titles?

Well, that’s something we’ll never know, though renowned sports journalist Bob Ryan gave his take when asked about whether Pat Riley should’ve stayed longer in Los Angeles. During his recent appearance on CLNS Media Boston Sports Network, Ryan suggested that the four-time championship-winning coach with the Lakers should not have stayed any longer.

“No. Well, he he you know he goes should that you know he he had further success. He did he didn’t go all the way in New York, but he got them to the finals, and then look at Miami. I mean, he obviously knows what he’s doing.” Ryan said. He suggested that it wasn’t like Riley did not achieve success after leaving L.A. and claimed that the former Lakers coach knew what he was doing. He then went ahead and pointed out how Pat Riley’s major move affected the storied franchise.

“Well, remember that group didn’t win right after post Kareem until they got you know built up. I mean, he wasn’t gonna help them win right away post Kareem. They got to the finals, you know, and then Magic, you know, with Divos, but they weren’t able to win. Then finally, when Shaq showed up and they had the full complement, they were back, you know, winning championships again.” Ryan explained. The sports journalist suggested that things did not quite work out for the Lakers.

He explained how, after Kareem left, the Lakers went into a slump (according to their standards). Coming off back-to-back titles in 1987, 1988, the Lakers were in the hunt for a three-peat, but the Pistons swept them in the Finals, which was Kareem’s last season. After which, the team struggled as Magic Johnson and Worthy also hung up their boots. That was until the dawn of the 2000s, when Shaq and Kobe restored the team’s glory. Nonetheless, this wasn’t all that Bob Ryan talked about, as he also revealed the details about L.A.’s major plan.

Bob Ryan reveals the Lakers’ huge plan to honor Pat Riley

The Los Angeles Lakers are set to headline the opening night of the 2025-26 NBA season and feature in several other big matchups. However, the biggest out of them all will be when the Purple & Gold face off against their fierce rivals, the Boston Celtics, on February 22nd. As if writing a new chapter in this historic rivalry wasn’t enough, the Lakers have chosen that night to honor one of the most important personalities in the franchise’s history.

According to reports, the Lakers are going to add another spark to their history with the Celtics after deciding to unveil the statue of their former legendary head coach Pat Riley when the Cs come to visit them in February. While it might seem coincidental to a few, it’s certainly not. That’s not just what we think; even renowned sports journalist Bob Ryan shares the thought. “Well, that’s not coincidental. Yeah. Yeah, I mean the Celtics, they’re they’re wedded at the hip.” Ryan said,

“The two teams in their historical impact have won over 40% of the championships in the league combined since 1946. That’s who the Celtics and Lakers are. They are the royalty of the league. And anyway, yeah, Riley deserves it for them. What he did for them in that marvelous decade of the 80s.” The seasoned sports journalist explained that this is the Lakers’ way of honoring Pat Riley’s legacy. After all, Riley led the Purple & Gold to four NBA titles, out of which two came against the Cs.

This honor will put the leader of of franchise’s “Showtime” era alongside the players he’s coached, such as Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who already have their statues outside the Crypto.com Arena. Now, Riley will join the Lakers basketball team royalty right outside their home arena, as the 80-year-old NBA icon adds another impressive achievement to his already stacked basketball playing and coaching resume.