The Lakers governor said “no tampering” happened as they linked up with their legendary coach.
Jeanie Buss had some jokes on Sunday afternoon as the Los Angeles Lakers officially honored Pat Riley his very own statue.
As she spoke on the unveiling ceremony, the Lakers governor thanked Micky Arison and the Miami Heat for allowing Riley to attend the honors.
As such, Buss further added that no tampering had happened, as they reconnected with their former iconic coach.
“First of all, I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the Arison family and the Miami Heat organization for allowing us to honor their leader and their captain. There’s no tampering going on right now,” Buss said, sparking laughs among spectators of the event.
Riley, who is the longtime president of the Heat, began his iconic basketball chapter as a head coach in LA. After becoming a member of the team’s historic title-winning 1972 team, he eventually served as the playcaller of the “Showtime Lakers” era, helping the franchise win four championships throughout the ’80s.
Riley continued coaching for the New York Knicks (1991-1995) and subsequently shifted to Miami before the 1995-96 season. He led the franchise to its first NBA title in 2006.
The 80-year-old remains the Heat’s top executive, constructing the team’s “Big 3” era of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh that landed Miami to four consecutive Finals appearances and back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013.
Riley joins Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant and legendary broadcaster Chick Hearn as the latest Lakers legend honored with a statue.
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