MIAMI (AP):

PAT RILEY resigned as coach of the Miami Heat on Monday, ending his worst season in the NBA, but will remain as the club's president.

Assistant coach Erik Spoelstra will replace Riley, making the 37-year-old the youngest current coach in the league.

Miami finished the season with the NBA's poorest record (15-67) and, by far, the worst of Riley's 25-year career.

"I look forward to the challenge," said Spoelstra, who received word of the decision on the weekend.

Rebuilding franchise

As president, Riley will continue overseeing the plan to rebuild a franchise that's just two years removed from a cham-pionship, after deciding that he would best benefit the franchise by working exclusively from the front office.

The on-court duties now belong to Spoelstra, who started in the Heat video room in 1995.

"While we are always looking for NBA talent to perform on the court, the most important talent that you may find has to perform on the bench, in the locker room, late at night, watching film, motivating and executing all the responsibilities of a head coach," Riley said. "I believe Erik Spoelstra is one of the most talented young coaches to come around in a long time."