Pat Riley coached a sport.
Patrick James Riley ( born March 20 , 1945 ) is an American professional basketball executive , and a former coach and player in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . He has been the team president of the Miami Heat since 1995 and head coach in two separate tenures ( 1995 through 2003 , and 2005 through 2008 ) . Regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time , Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams , four with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Heat . He was named NBA Coach of the Year three times ( 1989 -- 90 , 1992 -- 93 and 1996 -- 97 , as head coach of the Lakers , New York Knicks and Heat , respectively ) .