Imagine you’re down 0-2 in the NBA Finals, and your head coach decides to dunk his head in a bucket of ice water for three minutes, just to show the team what it means to believe. Sounds crazy, right? Well, that’s Pat Riley for you. Shaquille O’Neal once shared that story from the 2006 Finals, a series the Heat went on to win. But as wild as that was, another ex-Heat player has come forward with an even more bizarre tale about Riley’s intense training regime.

Recently, Hassan Whiteside appeared on The OGs Show, where he revealed what may be the most grueling workout of his life—one that Riley personally oversaw. “The hardest workout of my life”  he says. When co-host Udonis Haslem asked if it still holds up as the toughest, Whiteside didn’t hesitate. He described how he was literally on the verge of blacking out. But the most unusual part of the story was yet to come.

Whiteside explained that this wasn’t just skill. It was, in fact, a grueling full-court dunk drill. But then Pat Riley took things to another level. “He was like, lick your hand and touch as high as you can on that backboard,” Whiteside, who trained under Pat Riley for 5 years, recalled. “I’m getting all kinds of germs off this backboard.” Haslem further added, saying Riley just wanted to see how mentally tough Whiteside was.

Whiteside sure wouldn’t be the only one to attest to the Lakers‘ Showtime-era coach’s stern stance.

Shaq, who was coached by Riley for the 2005-06 season, once described Riley as “the Godfather,” someone you simply don’t mess with. That reputation was cemented when Shaq was traded to the Heat. Riley wasn’t pleased with Shaq’s body fat percentage, leading to Shaq opening 24-hour fitness clubs across Miami. Riley laid down the law, warning, “If you don’t make the body fat percentage, you will be fined $1,000. The next time you are fined again, and the third time you are suspended a game.”

His methods may be unconventional, but there’s no denying that he’s shaped the Heat’s culture in a way few others could.

Pat Riley: The man behind Heat culture

According to Hoops Hype, Pat Riley would often tell incoming players, “Not good shape. Not great shape. World-class shape. Give us a season, and you’ll see.” It’s no exaggeration. Just ask Dion Waiters, who joined the Heat in 2017. After only one week, he was already feeling the intensity. “My body [was] shot,” Waiters recalled. “I was damn near throwing up in trash cans like in the movies.”

Interestingly, the transformation isn’t just a feeling; Riley also ensured a documentation. James Johnson once shared with Anthony Chiang of The Palm Beach Post that every Heat player goes through a photo documentation process. They take three pictures: one before the season, one during, and one after, to track their physical progress.

Every Monday, the players are subjected to body fat measurements and weigh-ins. Each player has personalized goals, but the team’s standard is clear—everyone must be under 10 percent body fat. And if a player doesn’t meet his target? Well, you could always ask Shaq about the consequences.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.