Michael Beasley shares the gangster way Pat Riley welcomed him to Miami: "Pulled up in a '47 Mercury, matte black"
Michael Beasley lasted only two seasons with the Miami Heat after the team drafted him No.2 overall in the 2008 NBA Draft. But before Pat Riley shipped him out of South Beach, the Godfather left a lasting impression on him.
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During a recent podcast hosted by Ice Cube's BIG3, Beasley talked about his first meeting with Riley as the most memorable experience he had in those two seasons he played in Miami after the draft.
"Pat Riley is one of the most gangster, just the smoothest person. I landed on a jet, and Pat Riley pulled up in a 47Mercury, matte black… no socks, slacks on, got hamburger meat out, with shades on, the slick back. He got the gold. Shorty's smooth…Just smooth like a mob boss," said Beasley in one breath.
Pat drove a 1950 Mercury around L.A.
Big things were expected from Beasley coming out of college. "B-Easy" had a dominant freshman year at Kansas State, where he ranked third in the nation in scoring and was college basketball's top rebounder. And so, being the No.2 pick, the Heat had to impress and give him the VIP treatment, with no less than the team president picking him up at the airport.
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Riley was always a guy who dressed like a Wall Street banker. He wore Armani suits and had that signature greasy slick-back hair. And yes, Beasley wasn't exaggerating. In 2015, Riles was spotted by TMZ driving a vintage black Mercury coupe around Los Angeles, but a 1950 model, not a 1947. Maybe Michael missed the model, but still, it was as gangster as a car could be, and it surely matched the looks of the "Godfather".
"That's one of my favorite memories, like just him pulling up…As soon as I landed, picked me up and chopped it up with me, get something to eat. That was our relationship. It was always behind closed doors. But that was just a fly, that Mercury was just…you could smell the gasoline from the street. It was fly," Beasley added.
Related: Dominique Wilkins shares why there's no way Michael Jordan wins six NBA titles without his teammates: "Mike doesn't get six championships without those other pieces"
Riley showed Dragic his rings
Well, Riley had a way to impress his top recruits. While he flaunted his vintage car and dashing good looks at Beasley, he boasted his championship rings when he first met Goran Dragic after Dragic was traded to the Heat in 2015. "The Dragon" himself told that story during a recent interview with Basketball Network.
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"First meeting with him (Riley), I remember I came to his office, and he was like, 'Goran, we are happy to have you, welcome to the team," said Dragic. "Now it's time to go to war, you know what we play for?' I said, 'Yes, of course, the championship.'"
"He opened the drawer and showed all nine rings. He's like, choose one, I'm like,' What?!' At that time, I just picked one ring. He was like, 'Okay, we are going to get you one.' You know, it never happened, but if I'm honest, I've spent the best seven years in Miami," Dragic recalled.
Whether it was Beasley's surreal airport pickup or Dragic's welcome with a drawer full of championship rings, Riley always knew how to leave a lasting impression. His old-school charm, unwavering confidence, and direct approach created a culture that players still speak about with respect — even if things didn't always end in rings.
Related: "Fu— you guys... we are in a war zone now" - Goran Dragic explains why the Heat avoided everyone in the Orlando Bubble
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
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