In a shocking announcement that left the Heat's management, players and the NBA universe stunned, Pat Riley resigned suddenly Friday after eight years as coach, and just days before the team's season opener. Riley, 58, will remain with the organization, retaining his title as president and keeping the autonomy given to him by owner Micky Arison to make nearly all basketball-related decisions. He was replaced by Miami's assistant head coach, Stan Van Gundy, an energetic 44-year-old who is beginning his ninth season with the Heat but has never been an NBA head coach. Riley said he based his decision on his feeling that the team "needs a new voice, it needs a new energy, it needs a new philosophy." He said it was the culmination of nearly two years of contemplation about his future through two straight seasons of persistent losing. But Riley said long ago, that once he determined the franchise was back on solid footing, he would make a determination about his role with the club. This week, as the revamped and promising Heat wrapped up training camp coming off consecutive seasons of 46 and 57 losses, Riley decided Miami had reached that point. "We've turned the corner," he said. "It's the first time that I feel it's right in the last three years. It's time for me to do this. It's a very, very difficult decision." Under Riley, the Heat made six postseason appearances and won four Atlantic Division titles. Riley went 354-270 (.567 winning percentage) with Miami. The timing of Riley's announcement, three days before the Heat travels to Philadelphia for its opener, was, at the very least, peculiar. It left Van Gundy as arguably the logical choice to replace Riley, allowing Riley to fulfill a long-standing promise to his right-hand man that he would do whatever possible to ensure Van Gundy became the Heat's fifth coach. Riley emphasized that his resignation was decided by him alone. He also said he is healthy and did not step down because of an illness. Riley came to his decision Wednesday morning, and telephoned Arison, leaving the owner taken aback. Though the pair had had occasional conversations over the past two years about the possibility of Riley stepping down, the suddenness and reality of Riley's news hit Arison hard. "He's been talking about doing this," Arison said. "But it's been, 'Yes, no, maybe, I'm thinking about it.'... But when he gave me the call on Wednesday, I must say I was surprised." Arison was not alone. "I just can't believe he's not coaching," said former Los Angeles point guard Magic Johnson, who won four titles under Riley with the Lakers. "I hope he's happy with his decision, even though I know he won't be. He's a coach. When you look at it, in our time, he and Phil Jackson have been the biggest two coaches. He needs to be a coach. I'm still shocked." Of Miami's assistants, Van Gundy probably had the closest relationship to Riley. Yet even he was hesitant to believe Riley initially. Riley informed Van Gundy Wednesday afternoon that he had made up his mind, but Van Gundy had heard that before. "[Before], I figured at that point it was just the losing wearing him down. This time, this kind of caught me by surprise. I thought he was rolling along pretty good - and he was. But this was just a decision that he made." Yet, something about Wednesday's conversation between Riley and Van Gundy was different than the previous ones. "He seemed a little more serious about it," Van Gundy said. "Before, it was sort of like, 'Get ready. It's coming down the line.' This one was, 'Get ready.'" Riley informed Heat players in a closed-door gathering in the locker room Friday morning, and described the mood as "subdued." "It was very hard for me to talk to them, especially Eddie [Jones] and Brian [Grant]," Riley said. "But I think they understand. I wanted them to understand that when a man has to make a decision, he has to make it." Riley said and Van Gundy reiterated that the team's on-court philosophy will not change. But the two differ in that Van Gundy is a much more hands-on coach, whereas Riley was known to delegate much of his instructional duties. Riley vowed not to meddle with the team from a strategic standpoint, even though he has been an NBA head coach for 20 years. Which begs the question: Is Riley really through with coaching? No one in the organization seemed willing to rule out a return to the profession for Riley. "I don't think Pat said he's retired," Arison said. ". . . He's tired of coaching. We know from many coaches who were tired of coaching or players who are tired or playing that they can change their minds. Look at Bill Parcells or Michael Jordan." Said Van Gundy: "Can I envision Pat on a sideline [again]? Yeah. That's about the only place I can." Riley could have other options, including television. ABC has not yet filled its lead analyst position alongside play-by-play man Al Michaels. But assuming such a role would require Riley to leave the organization, something that would affect his small but lucrative ownership stake. Riley has two years remaining on the original 10-year contract he signed in 1995. If he fulfils the 10 years, his percentage of ownership is believed to increase. Whatever the future holds, Riley has no regrets. "I'm happy," he said. "I'm a happy man today that I'm able to make this decision and do something that helps us."
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