Pat Riley resigns as Heat coach

Apr 28, 2008 - 10:10 PM MIAMI (Ticker) -- Insisting that his coaching career is over for good, Pat Riley announced his resignation Monday as head coach of the Miami Heat.

The Hall of Fame coach made the announcement during a news conference but said he will remain with the Heat as the team's president.

"If I ever knew I couldn't give everything to the game that I needed to give, then I would know that it was time to step away," Riley said.

The Heat named 37-year-old Erik Spoelstra, a Miami assistant for the past 13 years, as Riley's successor. Spoelstra becomes the NBA's youngest current head coach.

"I feel fortunate to have been able to work for a great leader, a Hall of Famer and someone who has been a great mentor to me for 13 years," Spoelstra said.

Riley's decision to retire comes less than nine months after he claimed that he would coach the Heat for another three seasons.

"The last five years, I've been in a little bit of a conflict if I wanted to do it (coach) or I didn't want to do it," the 63-year-old Riley said. "Today, I'm sure that I don't want to do it anymore. I'm officially retired."

Miami's dismal 2007-08 campaign evidently has worn on Riley, who admitted this past January that he occasionally felt conflicted between his roles as the team's coach and president.

Riley struggled through the worst season of his storied coaching career in 2007-08, guiding the Heat to a league-worst 15-67 record. Riley even left the team at one point to scout players in the NCAA Tournament.

Miami can attribute much of last season's disappointment to the long-term absence of star guard Dwyane Wade, who missed 31 games due to a variety of injuries and underwent season-ending knee surgery last month.

Wade, the 2006 NBA Finals MVP, offered glowing words of praise for Riley.

"As head coach, Pat Riley has instilled in me values that enabled me to win a championship in just three seasons," Wade said. "I've seen him do the necessary things to make us winners and I believe that with his focus on being president and his commitment to the team, we will once again become a contender."

The Heat's dramatic fall came just two seasons after Riley guided the franchise to its first NBA title in 2006.

Riley also coached Miami to the Southeast Division title in 2006-07. But it was a trying campaign for Riley, who left the team for 22 games at midseason to undergo hip and knee surgeries.

It marked the second time Riley left the team. Citing a need for a break, he handed the reins to assistant Stan Van Gundy just prior to the start of the 2003-04 season.

Feeling refreshed, Riley returned early in the 2005-06 season, guiding the Heat to the NBA title. It was the fifth championship for Riley, who won his first four with the powerhouse Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s.

Riley posted a 454-395 record in 11 seasons as Miami's coach. He owns a career mark of 1,210-694 in 25 seasons overall with the Lakers, New York Knicks and Heat.

Riley and Wade both endorsed Spoelstra, who joined Miami's organization in 1995 as the team's video coordinator.

"This game is now about younger coaches who are technologically skilled, innovative and bring fresh new ideas," Riley said. "That's what we feel we are getting with Erik Spoelstra. He's a man that was born to coach."

"I believe in (Spoelstra) and have complete confidence that our team will succeed with him at the helm," Wade added.

Spoelstra indicated that he would be inclined to retain assistant coaches Ron Rothstein, Bob McAdoo and Keith Askins.

"This change is about change - but at the same time, it's about continuity," Spoelstra said. "I'm going to need the continuity. I trust them and they trust me."