MIAMI (AP) - Pat Riley is again the coach of the Miami Heat, replacing Stan Van Gundy following his resignation Monday for family reasons.
Riley, whom Van Gundy succeeded on the bench shortly before the 2003-04 season, will make his debut Tuesday night when Miami opens a four-game road trip in Chicago.
Riley, the team president, coached the team from 1995-03 after winning four titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and a stint with the New York Knicks.
The Heat's Pat Riley picked Stan Van Gundy as his successor a little more than two years ago. Now it appears Riley could return to the sideline as head coach. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press)
Van Gundy's job status has been the subject of speculation in South Florida for months, starting when Riley — his mentor — said shortly after the Heat's 2005 playoff run ended that he decide to take a larger role in the team's day-to-day operations.
That comment, which seemed innocuous at the time, set off a storm of speculation that Riley was planning to dismiss Van Gundy and take over a team with two of the NBA's biggest stars, Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade.
Riley and Van Gundy eventually met for nearly four hours in mid-July. Van Gundy emerged from that session saying he was assured that he'd remain Heat coach.
But the team has struggled in its first 21 games, going only 11-10 - albeit without O'Neal for 18 of them while the 12-time All-Star nursed a sprained right ankle. Still, it wasn't the start anybody expected from a team built to contend for an NBA championship.
Van Gundy was Riley's top assistant for eight seasons, getting the job shortly before the 2003-04 campaign when Riley walked into his office unexpectedly and told him he was stepping aside.
And just as suddenly, Van Gundy is now gone, hours after leading the Heat to an overtime win over Washington on Sunday night.
Riley brings an impressive background with him back to the bench.
Riley, a winner of 1,110 games in 21 seasons, led the "Showtime" Lakers of Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to titles in 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988. He also coached the New York Knicks (1991-95) and then the Heat from 1995 through 2003.
Before coming to the Heat, Van Gundy had college stints at Vermont, Castleton State, Canisius, Fordham, UMass-Lowell and Wisconsin. When Riley joined the Heat, Van Gundy came with him — in large part because his brother, Jeff, was under contract to the New York Knicks and couldn't stay on Riley's staff.
His first season as head coach didn't get off to a good start, with the Heat losing Van Gundy's first seven games. But with Wade leading a talented nucleus of young players, Miami finished that season 42-40 and as the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
And that summer, Riley sent three players to Los Angeles for O'Neal — part of three championships with the Lakers. Van Gundy coached the Heat to a second consecutive season of a 17-win improvement, getting them to 59-23 and guiding them to the Southeast Division title and to the East finals.
Riley, whom Van Gundy succeeded on the bench shortly before the 2003-04 season, will make his debut Tuesday night when Miami opens a four-game road trip in Chicago.
Riley, the team president, coached the team from 1995-03 after winning four titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and a stint with the New York Knicks.
The Heat's Pat Riley picked Stan Van Gundy as his successor a little more than two years ago. Now it appears Riley could return to the sideline as head coach. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press)
Van Gundy's job status has been the subject of speculation in South Florida for months, starting when Riley — his mentor — said shortly after the Heat's 2005 playoff run ended that he decide to take a larger role in the team's day-to-day operations.
That comment, which seemed innocuous at the time, set off a storm of speculation that Riley was planning to dismiss Van Gundy and take over a team with two of the NBA's biggest stars, Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade.
Riley and Van Gundy eventually met for nearly four hours in mid-July. Van Gundy emerged from that session saying he was assured that he'd remain Heat coach.
But the team has struggled in its first 21 games, going only 11-10 - albeit without O'Neal for 18 of them while the 12-time All-Star nursed a sprained right ankle. Still, it wasn't the start anybody expected from a team built to contend for an NBA championship.
Van Gundy was Riley's top assistant for eight seasons, getting the job shortly before the 2003-04 campaign when Riley walked into his office unexpectedly and told him he was stepping aside.
And just as suddenly, Van Gundy is now gone, hours after leading the Heat to an overtime win over Washington on Sunday night.
Riley brings an impressive background with him back to the bench.
Riley, a winner of 1,110 games in 21 seasons, led the "Showtime" Lakers of Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to titles in 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988. He also coached the New York Knicks (1991-95) and then the Heat from 1995 through 2003.
Before coming to the Heat, Van Gundy had college stints at Vermont, Castleton State, Canisius, Fordham, UMass-Lowell and Wisconsin. When Riley joined the Heat, Van Gundy came with him — in large part because his brother, Jeff, was under contract to the New York Knicks and couldn't stay on Riley's staff.
His first season as head coach didn't get off to a good start, with the Heat losing Van Gundy's first seven games. But with Wade leading a talented nucleus of young players, Miami finished that season 42-40 and as the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
And that summer, Riley sent three players to Los Angeles for O'Neal — part of three championships with the Lakers. Van Gundy coached the Heat to a second consecutive season of a 17-win improvement, getting them to 59-23 and guiding them to the Southeast Division title and to the East finals.