It will be interesting to see how the Los Angeles Lakers handle the legacy of LeBron James after he essentially hangs up his sneakers. James has spent the last eight seasons with the Lakers, and he brought a title to LA in 2020, which means he should already be a franchise legend in the eyes of the team’s fans.

It remains to be seen whether this will result in a statue of James being installed outside Crypto.com Arena, home of the Lakers. But renowned pundit Colin Cowherd doesn’t believe James will get any from the team, especially when compared to other greats from the franchise who have been immortalized.

“I think if you ask Laker fans about a statue of LeBron outside of crypto, it’s not going to be it at all. People think of statues in front of crypto. Kobe five rings. Jerry West six as an executive, and then nine Finals appearances. Magic five titles, Shaq three, Kareem five, Pat Riley several. Chick Hearn 30-plus years of broadcasting,” Cowherd said in the latest episode of his podcast, The Herd. Said.

Cowherd compared James’ role with the Lakers to that of a mentor, unlike those who came before him who could be considered family.

“Is he really family? LeBron feels more like a consultant. He adds value, a fresh set of eyes, solves problems, and then when he leaves and the contract is done, you say, OK, let’s meet again. No tears shed, no crying, it’s not family, and that’s the downside of the dynamic. LeBron is not the Lakers family,” Cowherd said.

If anything, at least according to Cowherd, James deserves a statue outside Rocket Mortgage Arena as well as the Kasia Center for his contributions to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers.

“Miami, definitely. Cleveland, absolutely,” Cowherd said. “The first sentence with LeBron is Cleveland’s best ever, highest points, part of the Heat.”

Los Angeles is definitely Kobe territory, and if James receives the same recognition as the late, great Black Mamba, it could generate mixed emotions from the fan base — especially if the reactions to Bam Adebayo’s 83-point night are indicative of how much Bryant has regional fans.

Even though the Los Angeles Lakers lost 111-89 to the Boston Celtics on Sunday, it was a memorable evening for fans, as the team honored one of its most iconic personalities in the form of former coach Pat Riley.

The halftime ceremony was a special tribute to Riley celebrating his statue, which was unveiled outside Crypto.com Arena before the game.

LeBron James admitted he took a look at the halftime ceremony, which was hosted by Magic Johnson and attended by former Riley players including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Jamal Wilkes, AC Green and Byron Scott.

James, 41, had only good words to say about Riley, 80, emphasizing that he has “Highly respected” For the great master.

“He’s one of the all-time greats that has been a part of this league, not only as a player, (but) as a coach, an executive, front office, everything. Obviously, what he did with the Lakers organization in the ’80s goes without saying, and rightfully so, they built a statue of him outside the building,” James said in a video posted by EssentialSports’ Mark Medina.

LeBron James called Pat Riley “one of the all-time great players to be a part of this league” after watching Riley’s halftime celebration. LeBron envisioned the Heat could have had a 6–10 year title window if he had stayed in 2014 instead of returning to Cleveland. pic.twitter.com/IScCJcWxqO

– Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) 23 February 2026

Of course, James and Riley spent four years together at the Miami Heat, where Riley served as team president for more than three decades. James led the Heat to two titles before returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014.

James’ decision to join Miami changed the landscape of the NBA, while also underscoring Riley’s continuing influence.

While many believe they could have won more championships together, James said he does not dwell on the past.

“It’s human nature to look back and say, ‘Well, what could have been.’ But it’s part of life,” said the four-time MVP, who had 20 points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals against the Celtics.

Riley coached the Lakers to four championships as the architect of the famous “Showtime” era.

It took several years, but Pat Riley finally earned his own statue outside the Crypto.com Arena for his iconic tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers, joining other icons of this iconic franchise.

He was a larger-than-life figure during his two-decade tenure in Los Angeles. Now, it’s become more literal with an eight-foot bronze tribute. It was unveiled at a ceremony before the Lakers host the Boston Celtics on Sunday.

It was a perfect fit, as Riley led the Lakers to four titles, two of which were at the expense of the Celtics.

Riley, 80, who started out as a TV analyst for the Purple & Gold, was extremely grateful for the generous praise.

“I’m so grateful. I really am. It’s beyond grateful. I’m so grateful to be honored and to be with the giants whose shoulders I jumped on and who lifted me up,” Riley said in a report by Khobi Price of the New York Post.

In addition to Riley, the Lakers have also created statues for NBA legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and play-by-play commentator Chick Hearn.

Riley, who has served as team president of the Miami Heat since 1995 and has not held a position with the Lakers since leaving in 1990, remains a respected member of the team.

He led the Lakers to their dynastic run in the 1980s and gave birth to the “Showtime” era with his thrilling and fast-paced style. They were as shiny as his slicked back hair and designer suit.

Riley was a perfect fit for Hollywood, helping shape a culture where excellence wasn’t expected, it was expected. Now, his legacy remains even more enduring.

When it comes to thinking about the gold standard of NBA coaches, not many names come to mind other than Pat Riley. Despite winning championships five times as a head coach, twice as an executive, twice as a player and once as an assistant coach, his titles paint only a part of the picture of his career with the Miami Heat, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers.

Appropriately, Showtime recently unveiled a statue commemorating his legacy, and Riley was asked a simple question about current NBA coaches.

According to a post on And well, as far as that reaction is concerned, it’s no surprise.

Riley, now 80 and still serving as president of the Miami Heat, became the first coach in Los Angeles Lakers history to receive the statue, placing him alongside names like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Jerry West and Chick Hearn. With the Lakers, Riley reached seven NBA Finals during his nine-season tenure from 1981 to 1990.

However, this is only a small part of his legacy. In his career as a player, assistant coach, head coach and executive, he has nine championship rings, including a 1972 title as a Lakers player, multiple titles as an architect of Showtime, the Miami Heat’s successful 2006 championship as a head coach, and executive titles in 2012 and 2013 during Miami’s Big Three era. He remains the first major North American sports figure to win championships in all four of these roles.

A member of the Hall of Fame since 2008, Riley is often regarded as “The Godfather” of the NBA, and there was never any doubt that he would still wear an Armani suit if he coached in the world’s best basketball league.

Across the overall NBA landscape, there aren’t many individuals who have had a bigger impact than former Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat coach Pat Riley. While most people know him for his work as head coach and president of the Heat, Riley has also left a great legacy with the Lakers.

Due to this, Showtime immortalized his legacy by unveiling a statue outside the Crypto.com arena, with the now 80-year-old man himself attending the event along with several prominent figures from the Lakers’ past, including Magic Johnson, according to a post on X by Heat Culture.

🚨 Pat Riley Statue Unveiled 🚨 pic.twitter.com/IIDuJqgNTn

– Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) 22 February 2026

Riley’s nine-year head coaching run with the Lakers from 1981 to 1990 produced an astonishing 533–194 record (.733 winning percentage), four NBA championships and seven Finals appearances. More importantly, he served as the architect of the Showtime Lakers, a dynasty built around superstars like Magic and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

The statue makes Riley the first coach in Lakers history to receive such recognition, joining icons such as Magic himself, Kobe Bryant, Jerry West, Shaquille O’Neal and legendary broadcaster Chick Hearn. While Showtime is often remembered for its core offense, Riley also emphasized physicality and defensive discipline, popularizing principles such as the 1-3-1 half-court trap and cementing his famous championship mantra that rebounding and defensive commitment bring titles, the same system he also brought forward for the Heat.

Glad the Lakers erected a statue to their greatest coach [squints] nic cage

– Robbie Kalland (@rkalland.bsky.social) 2026-02-22T21:55:05.053Z

His Lakers teams reached four consecutive Finals and produced one of the greatest single-season teams of all time in 1987, finishing 65–17 before defeating Boston for the championship. Riley also fulfilled one of the NBA’s most prestigious guarantees, promising a repeat title in 1988 and becoming the first team to successfully defend the championship in nearly two decades.

During his coaching career, Riley earned five championships as a head coach, produced 17 seasons of 50-plus wins, seven 60-win campaigns and earned Coach of the Year honors with three different franchises, the Lakers, Knicks and Heat.