Although Pat Riley is best known for his impressive tenure as coach of the Lakers, he is equally synonymous with the success of the Miami Heat. Recently, the Lakers unveiled a statue honoring Riley's contributions to the organization. During a sit-down conversation in Wade's presence in Los Angeles on Sunday, Riley paid tribute to Wade for his career with Miami.
"He came in as a rookie... He was great. He was talented. He was talented... I've never seen a young guy work harder than Dwyane Wade to become one of the greatest players. Certainly the greatest player in Miami Heat history."
Wade certainly earned the title of the greatest player in Heat history. He played with the organization from 2003 to 2016 before playing for the Bulls and Cavaliers. He then returned in 2018 and played with the team until his retirement in 2019. In that time, Wade won three NBA championships with the team, including his stellar performance in the 2006 NBA Finals. In the Heat's historic comeback against the Mavericks, he averaged 34.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists. He scored 40 points twice in that series: 42 points in Game 3 and 43 points in Game 4.
His greatness continued into the Big Three era, providing a high-powered tandem with LeBron James that ultimately won two more championships for the organization. With 13 NBA All-Star selections, 8 All-NBA selections, and the 2006 NBA Finals MVP award in his career, Dwyane Wade earned a spot on the NBA Top 75 Players list in 2021 and etched himself in Miami Heat history.
