With apologies to all the carnivores out there, LeBron James and Pat Riley no longer appear to have any beef.
The Los Angeles Lakers star James spoke this week on his career-long knack for getting triple-doubles. James mentioned his desire to be a “triple threat” and gave his former Miami Heat boss Riley a shoutout in the process.
“Rebounding wins championships, as the great Pat Riley would say,” said James, per Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen and Roll.
The acknowledgement from James is notable because he has very rarely, if ever, mentioned Riley by name since he left the Heat in 2014. The two men have had a hostile relationship since their split. James strongly hinted that Riley once chastised him for making “the biggest mistake of your career” in leaving Miami. Riley has also stated that he almost trashed James in a Dan Gilbert-style letter when James departed.
However, Riley recently gave some major praise to James, indicating that tensions between them have thawed. With James and the Lakers defeating Riley’s Heat in the NBA Finals last season, the four-time MVP may now be willing to let bygones be bygones as well.
