Pat Riley Quotes - Lakers, Knicks and Heat

20 Pat Riley quotes. The man who is responsible for four NBA champions as a coach and one as a player. A great motivator, author of several books including "The Winner Within," and an amazing person.

Born as Patrick James Riley in Rome, New York. Little Pat was always a good athlete. He excelled in both football and basketball.

In 1966, Riley led University of Kentucky to the NCAA title game where they lost to Texas Western. This game is what the movie "Glory Road" is all about. He is most memorable for coaching the Lakers as well as leading the Miami Heat to their first ever championship title.

Pat added that extra ingredient the New York Knicks were lacking and pushed them to the Conference Finals where they lost to Chicago Bulls.

Pat Riley quotes, here they are..

Being a part of success is more important than being personally indispensable.

Giving yourself permission to lose guarantees a loss.

If you have a positive attitude and constantly strive to give your best effort, eventually you will overcome your immediate problems and find you are ready for greater challenges.

There's no such thing as coulda, shoulda, or woulda. If you shoulda and coulda, you woulda done it.

To have long term success as a coach or in any position of leadership, you have to be obsessed in some way.

Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better.

"A particular shot or way of moving the ball can be a player's personal signature, but efficiency of performance is what wins the game for the team."

"When you're playing against a stacked deck, compete even harder. Show the world how much you'll fight for the winner's circle. If you do, someday the cellophane will crackle off a fresh pack, one that belongs to you, and the cards will be stacked in your favor."

"People who create 20% of the results will begin believing they deserve 80% of the rewards."

"When you face a fork in the road, step on the exhilarator!"

"You have no choices about how you lose, but you do have a choice about how you come back and prepare to win again."

"You prove your worth with your actions, not with your mouth."

“All I did from day-to-day is coach. That’s what my job was, that’s what my passion was, and the fact that now it’s something I’m being considered for is just mind-blowing to me, that I would ever be in that kind of company.”

Commitment to the team - there is no such thing as in-between, you are either in our out.

"There's always the motivation of wanting to win. Everybody has that. But a champion needs, in his attitude, a motivation above and beyond winning."

“Great teamwork is the only way we create the breakthroughs that define our careers.”

“There can only be one state of mind as you approach any profound test; total concentration, a spirit of togetherness, and strength.”

“From nobody to upstart. From upstart to contender. From contender to winner. From winner to champion. From champion to Dynasty.”

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“Coaches who let a championship team back off from becoming a dynasty are cowards.”

“I'd like my reputation to stay as it is and to be remembered for a wonderful decade.”

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