Pat Riley had an iconic stint as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, winning four NBA championships.
His tenacious attitude is often talked about, which is why it is difficult to imagine everyone being able to cope with it, but for WNBA legend Nancy Lieberman, Riley’s coaching was career-defining.
The former point guard had a dominant college career, where she became the first woman to win two Wade trophies, an honour given to the best women’s national basketball player.
After her time in college, she got a special call to practise with the LA Lakers Summer League team in 1981. As the call was made by the late, great Jerry West, it was difficult for Lieberman to refuse. However, one problem that came up was that the Lakers’ head coach at the time, Pat Riley, was not really on board with having her on the team.
Nancy Lieberman’s attitude in practise changed Pat Riley’s opinion of her
By 1981, Riley had a championship as an assistant coach. He was against the idea when Jerry West and Jerry Buss asked him to let Lieberman play but he had no choice.
However, what she did with all the men in practice made Riley rethink his initial decision, which he revealed in a coaching symposium.
“I’m super excited. I’d play against anybody… So I go out there, and I didn’t know until later on in life, like 30 years later, that Pat Riley did not want me. This is what I didn’t know until Pat is speaking at the symposium… He goes, ‘There were times that I was coaching and I felt overwhelmed or outmatched. Every day, they were bigger, stronger, faster, more athletic. And every day, she walked in the building like she was the best player on the floor.’ And it helped me when I felt overwhelmed in certain situations during my young career,” Lieberman said on All the Smoke podcast.
From then on, Lieberman went on to have a sensational career as she earned the nickname ‘Lady Magic’ due to her exploits as a point guard. She won the WABA championship and MVP award during her playing career and, after retirement, was also inducted into the Hall of Fame to recognise her achievements in women’s basketball.
Meanwhile, Pat Riley ended up getting the head coaching position in the 1981-82 season after the team fired coach Paul Westhead. He helped the Lakers win the championship and set a start to the Showtime era in LA before going on to coach for the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat, where he won his 5th championship as a head coach.
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