Claim: Pat Riley played American basketball.
Evidence: Patrick James Riley -LRB- born March 20 , 1945 -RRB- is an American professional basketball executive , and a former coach and player in the National Basketball Association -LRB- NBA -RRB-.
The National Basketball Association -LRB- NBA -RRB- is the major men 's professional basketball league in North America , and is widely considered to be the premier men 's professional basketball league in the world.