Miami Heat fans will see club president Pat Riley's most revealing and at times emotional side Sunday at 5:30 p.m. in the series premiere of ESPN's "The Art Of Conversation With Dan Le Batard" show.
This intimate portrait of the life and career of the basketball icon kicks off the series of six long-form interviews a year, one every other month. The next of the 30-minute shows will feature Mike Tyson. LeBatard, the longtime former Miami Herald columnist who stars on ESPN Radio's Dan Le Batard Show With Stugotz and TV's Highly Questionable, chose Riley for his new venture's first episode "because I've covered him for two decades, admire him, and trusted he'd show me a side the public hasn't seen."
And Riley did.
We see his collection of 12 vintage automobiles, watch him renew vows with his wife, hear him speak of his bleak upbringing and relationship with his parents, and see him fight back tears as he remembers his only daughter's wedding day.
Interspersed with the personal stuff, of course, is the basketball side of the Hall of Famer who has been a part of nine NBA championships as a player, coach or executive _ including Miami's three in 2006, 2012 and 2013.
Notable for Heat fans, Riley, who turns 74 in March, not only isn't thinking retirement, but envisions another championship parade along Biscayne Boulevard.
"I don't believe in retirement. I believe in what's next," Riley said in the interview, wearing a Heat 'Culture' T-shirt. "At my age you gotta have something to chase. I'm still chasing another championship with Erik (Spoelstra) and with Micky (Arison) and with the team. How we're gonna get there I don't know. But we're gonna get there again one day. I believe that."
A few of the highlights from the show include Riley naming his favorite championship team; talking about his relationship with his parents and his upbringing; discussing his beloved collection of classic cars; recalling his time with the Knicks; renewing his vows with his wife of 48 years, Chris; and his daughter's wedding day.
The Sunday premiere of "The Art Of Conversation with Dan Le Batard" is the portrait of two Pat Rileys.
One is the grateful, reflective man who says, "I've had a great trip. I have been so lucky and so blessed."
The other is a Heat president not ready for the past tense and determined in the chase for another championship.
