Pat Riley admits he wasn't sure about drafting Dwyane Wade: "I've always preferred coaching 25 or 26-year-olds"
Pat Riley has left his imprint on the NBA as a player, coach and executive. Still, he has had an even bigger impact on the Miami Heat, playing a big part in each of the organization's three NBA title runs.
Pat signed with the Heat in 1995. He spent his first years with the organization developing talents like Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway, who eventually became the franchise's cornerstones.
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Riley stepped down as coach in 2003 and became team president — he passed the baton to assistant coach Stan Van Gundy.
That year, the Heat made arguably the biggest decision in franchise history, selecting Dwyane Wade as the fifth pick in one of the most iconic draft classes ever. However, Pat wasn't initially sold on the idea of drafting the Marquette product.
"I've always wanted to coach veterans. I've always preferred to coach 25 or 26-year-olds who had some experience. I also never believed that our team was ever going to be bad enough to think we'd get a high pick. But that year we ended up with No. 5, and I was looking at point guards and centers; that's what we needed," he said.
"I had guys like Kirk Hinrich, T.J. Ford and Chris Kaman high on our list, and I was interested in them. Dwyane was on there, but at the start of the process, I wasn't sure," Riley added.
Miami Heat's finest: Dwyane Wade and his impact
Had Pat passed on Wade, that probably would've been the biggest mistake in franchise history. The history would also look very different.
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Wade displayed great potential from the go, helping the team reach the Eastern Conference Finals in his sophomore season. However, the star guard took his game to the next level once Miami acquired Shaquille O'Neal from the Los Angeles Lakers.
A year later, Riley returned to coach the Heat and guided O'Neal and Wade to the championship, with the latter putting up one of the best Finals performances in the history of the NBA.
Two years later, Riley announced he would step down as head coach while remaining team president. He named Erik Spoelstra as his successor.
But Pat still continued his magic.
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In 2010, the Heat signed LeBron James and Chris Bosh to form arguably the greatest Big 3 the NBA has ever seen. They led the franchise to four straight Finals appearances from 2011 to 2014, winning back-to-back titles.
Related: "I got the easier part of Shaq" - Dwyane Wade credits Shaquille O'Neal for his rise to NBA superstardom
The ultimate tribute to D-Wade
Honoring his contributions to the Heat franchise, Riley and Co. decided to build a Wade statue outside their home arena in Miami. This was an emotional moment for the veteran guard, who gave Heat Nation countless moments to cherish during his 16 seasons with them.
The final product didn't meet expectations, with fans feeling the Heat did their icon dirty. Aware of the backlash, the legendary guard defended the bronze sculpture, stating it didn't need to look like him.
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Regardless, it was a sign of respect for Wade, who became the greatest Heat player ever. It's crazy to think that he almost didn't join Miami in the first place, and that Riley, who made all the right moves during his time with the organization, could've been the guy behind that decision.
Related: Dwyane Wade admits he initially didn't think Erik Spoelstra would be a great NBA coach: "When he first got the job, I was like, 'What are we doing?'"
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