Pat Riley Paul Westhead Relationship
Pat Riley Paul Westhead Relationship – Pat Riley and Paul Westhead were two basketball coaches who worked together for the Los Angeles Lakers in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They had a complicated relationship. Let’s break down what happened:
Who Are Pat Riley and Paul Westhead?
Pat Riley is a famous basketball figure. He played basketball and later became a coach and an executive. He won many NBA championships as a coach and is well-known for his leadership.
Paul Westhead is another basketball coach known for his unique coaching style. He’s famous for coaching teams in various basketball leagues, including the NBA and WNBA. He’s often called “The Professor” because he used his love for literature in his coaching.
Their Early Friendship
Riley and Westhead first met while working as assistant coaches for the New York Knicks. They became close friends after working together for a couple of seasons. Then, in 1979, they both moved to the Los Angeles Lakers, but as head coaches in different roles.
The 1979-80 Season
At the beginning of the 1979-80 NBA season, the Lakers were doing really well under Paul Westhead’s coaching. However, things took an unexpected turn when Westhead had a serious bicycle accident in November. Pat Riley stepped in as the interim head coach.
Under Riley’s leadership, the Lakers continued to play exceptionally well, and they eventually won the NBA championship that year. Riley was even named the league’s Coach of the Year. This created some tension because Westhead wanted to return as the head coach, but the Lakers’ owner, Jerry Buss, favored Riley.
Riley Becomes the Permanent Coach
In 1981, the Lakers made a tough decision. They chose Pat Riley as the new permanent head coach, and Paul Westhead was let go. This was a big turning point in their relationship because Westhead had hoped to get his job back.
Success and Struggles
After Riley became the permanent coach, the Lakers continued to be very successful. They won four more NBA championships with Riley as their coach. Westhead, on the other hand, never won another championship as a head coach. This created some tension between them because Riley’s Lakers were doing much better than Westhead’s teams.
Their Friendship Affected
Even though they started as friends, their relationship was never the same. Their different goals and the way they contributed to the Lakers’ success caused some issues. They remained friendly, but their friendship never fully recovered.
Recent Reconciliation Rumors
In recent years, there have been rumors that Riley and Westhead might reconcile, meaning they might become close friends again. However, it’s unclear how close they are now.
In simple terms, Pat Riley and Paul Westhead were friends and coaches who worked together. They had a falling out when Riley became the head coach of the Lakers instead of Westhead. This caused some tension, and although they remained friendly, their relationship was never as strong as before. Today, it’s uncertain if they are close friends again.
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