When Pat Riley speaks, people listen.
And when he issues challenges to the players who play in a “culture” he’s crafted for decades, then they’ll likely be all ears.
Riley, the longtime Miami Heat president, whose tenure has been so prolific that he’s rightfully earned “The Godfather” persona, was his fiery self in 2022’s edition of his annual end-of-the-year presser: a savant with words.
The 77-year-old, who insisted on Tuesday he isn’t retiring in the foreseeable future, was both complimentary and constructively critical of multiple players who just helped propel Miami to Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals.