In an NBA career spanning nearly six decades, Pat Riley had several roles, ranging from a shooting guard to coach and team president. That said, his coaching version brought him the most success, as evident from his five championships and three Coach of the Year awards.
Associated with the Miami Heat since 1995, he currently serves as team president. Riley has no doubt helped change the fortunes of the South Beach franchise. His first breakthrough came with the 2006 championship, which also marked his return to coaching.
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Riley had sought retirement as head coach after the 2003-04 season, shifting his complete focus to his executive role. Taking the reigns from him was his longtime assistant, Stan Van Gundy, who coached the Heat for two seasons before resigning. The Heat were 21 games into the 2005-06 season when Riley made his coaching comeback.
“I think I know my way around a 94-by-50 court. I know what the hell I’m doing when I’m out there. But right now, I’m a little bit lost. So I’m going to depend a lot on the staff that we have presently. But no, I really wasn’t thinking about replacements,” said Riley.
The demanding nature of the job took a toll on SVG, leaving him with little time for his family. Eventually, pushed to the wall, he decided to step down. The veteran coach and commentator wanted to spend as much time with his daughter before she turned 18.
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Riley wanted Van Gundy to stay
The prevailing narrative at the time suggested that Riley attempted to push Van Gundy not to leave the team, especially as Miami was getting closer and closer to a title-contending status.
Nonetheless, the situation on the ground seemed to be completely different, with Riley trying to persuade Van Gundy for six weeks. Despite the 11-10 start, the Heat had everything going for them, especially with the Shaquille O’Neal-Dwyane Wade duo showing signs of chemistry.
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Refusing to budge, SVG eventually resigned, with Riles returning to familiar territory.
“I was happy for him when I hired him 11 years ago. I was happy for him when I stepped aside and gave him an opportunity that was well-deserved. And I am happy for him today, absolutely,” mentioned Riley, who experienced mixed emotions of excitement and nervousness.
Leading Miami to its first-ever NBA title
Riley replaced Van Gundy with 61 games left in the season, finishing with a 41-20 record. Earning the second seed in the East, they stormed into the playoffs. Punching a ticket to the NBA Finals for the first time, they also avenged their 2005 Eastern Conference finals loss against the Pistons.
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Squaring off against the Dallas Mavericks, the Heat found themselves in trouble, going down 0-2. Flipping the switch during this time was none other than Dwyane Wade, who helped the Heat win the next four consecutive games, winning his first title and being named Finals MVP.
The following seasons were disappointing, with the Heat struggling to stay afloat. Riley had been facing issues with his hip and knee as well, leading him to miss time.
Resigning as coach in 2008, he passed the mantle to Erik Spoelstra, who continues to coach the Heat to this day.
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 3, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.