Overview
- Riley became the first head coach honored with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena, positioned between Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and depicting his fist-raised signal to set up a skyhook.
- Reflecting on the Heat’s Big Three, Riley said he envisioned an 8–10 year run and wished he had LeBron James for another 6–8 years, while lauding Dwyane Wade as the greatest Heat player and placing him in elite company.
- LeBron James called it natural to wonder “what could have been,” noting Miami’s four straight Finals trips and two championships during his four seasons there.
- At a ceremony featuring Lakers greats and Heat figures, including Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dwyane Wade and a video tribute from Shaquille O’Neal, Riley also urged a return to coats-and-ties for NBA coaches.
- The public reunion sparked fan speculation about a James–Miami encore, though coverage underscored salary-cap and roster constraints and Riley’s past remarks that dampen expectations of any return.